22 books like The Echo Within

In this book, I loved the way the author explains the creative process and what it takes to engage your muse and catch ideas. In a different way from The War Of Art, I learned what holds us back from expressing ourselves creatively and how we can overcome this fear of being seen.

Elizabeth Gilbert shares stories and philosophies about how to be more creative every day in a funny and optimistic way.

Martin Schleske is a German luthier and theologian. My daughter is a violinist. I picked up this book at the recommendation of Byron of Hearts & Minds Books, hoping to learn more about the violin-making process, and it has remained one of my favorite books ever since. Schleske slowly and carefully walks the reader through his process, from choosing the right trees, to designing the structure, to helping “closed” violins discover their sound. Along the way, he shares how his work crafting violins helps him grow in his faith.

I can only read a couple pages of this book at a time, as Schleske’s profound wisdom often leaves me with thoughts I need time to process and sort through. This is a book about how God, as the Artist, will continue to shape me, work with me, and help me be the best instrument I can be to make music… show more.

I am a storyteller. I believe in the power of stories to bring people together, to teach us about who we are and how we are to live on this beautiful ball of dirt. Stories give meaning to our struggles and inspire us to push on when we want to give up. Miller’s book is all about living a good story.

This book has one of my favorite definitions of story, “A character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it." Miller uses that definition as the structure of his memoir in which he goes through the hard work of overcoming conflict to truly live an epic adventure. I read this book when I want to remember whose story I’m living.

For one year, award-winning sportswriter Joe Posnanski traveled with baseball ambassador Buck O’Neil all over the country, sharing stories about those who played in the Negro Leagues. This is a book about baseball, yes, but this is a book about choosing hope time and time again, even when it doesn’t make sense.

This is a book full of stories of those who were denied a chance to play in the major leagues because of something beyond their control—the color of their skin. But this is also a book about how love is the strongest power in the universe, breaking down hate, and replacing it with hope. I read this book almost every spring, as MLB players are headed to Spring Training.

I love this book because it demonstrates the human value of being excellent in personal and professional contexts. Like many musicians, I strive for excellence and in this book Schwartz &  Sharpe draw a picture of excellence that includes “practical wisdom” – knowing how to do the right thing at the right time in the right way for the right reasons. A lovely book that is sure to be a helpful guide for those of us seeking personal fulfillment through any kind of meaningful activity.

This book delivers such an important and deeply needed message at this time of accelerated change on our planet when so many people feel lost, fearful, alienated, and disconnected.

Many patients who consult me in my practice of psychiatry have a longing to feel clearer about their life purpose and what they are meant to do with their lives. They long for a connection to a more soulful aspect of themselves. This book provides many stories of individuals who were courageously able to respond to their heart’s calling and to change their lives dramatically in ways that resulted in their existence feeling more meaningful and aligned with their soul’s purpose.

This book inspires the reader to dare to make big changes, to get out of their comfort zone, and to find a way of living that feels more authentic and satisfying. 

The title story of this collection is a miracle of human relations, ecstatic prose cut to perfection, and the multivalent understandings that arise when we give ourselves freely, openly, and yes brokenly to the will to love. There is nothing so sweet as the kind of development and shaping of humanity found in  Davis’ short stories. An author whose work has appeared in Best American Short Stories and won a Pushcart Prize, Davis is an author who has not received the kind of national following she deserves.

Excellence comes from two Latin root words which together mean: "to rise out from." Excellence is the quality of rising to one's expected potential. The author finds a way to capture an area we all can get off track. We can be excellent when we stop worrying about being better than someone else. Our destinies are yet to be determined, and we can still become exceptional. Excellence is about leading our lives in a way that we will leave a legacy. Another reason we do not achieve excellence in our personal lives is that so many people are not on a quest for truth and wisdom but instead on a search for pleasure and happiness. We see how doing the right—far exceeds being right. The quotes from John Maxwell and Darren Hardy, among others, give valuable insights that you can start where you are today to Live a Life of… show more.

Bob Buford introduced me to this book at the Halftime Institute in 2013.

I found this book when I was going through a difficult season - a “falling". This book has helped me understand that much of what we judge as challenges or “falling” is the raw material for personal and spiritual growth. 

And that through the wisdom and insights of these challenges, the second half can be a time of great joy and excitement. I re-read it annually.

This book speaks to my soul. Wiest’s writing makes me feel enriched and nurtured as she talks about life and love in a magical, almost poetic way. Full of short and long essays, it’s easy to dip into this book for a grounding reminder, a calming voice, and a warm hug.

I sometimes read it in between my sessions with clients as it is so uplifting, even though it tackles serious subjects. I also adore that this was written when Wiest was a young woman (in her 20s), and it represents the hope and goodness we need in our increasingly hostile world. I feel inspired to be strong and gentle, mentally astute and emotionally awake, assertive and receptive, kind and firm, all at the same time.