10 books like The Power of Now

By Eckhart Tolle,

Here are 10 books that authors have personally recommended if you like The Power of Now. Shepherd is a community of 8,000+ authors sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Tui Allen Author Of Ripple: A Dolphin Love Story

From the list on animal stories for love of our planet.

Who am I?

I’m a teacher, sailor, kayaker, and environmental-vegan animal lover. I live by the sea among marine wildlife. I grew up sailing, then sailed the Pacific on the tiny wooden boat that was my first marital home. We had no engine, no modern technology. Like the sea beings, we had a wing in the wind and a fin in the sea so we lived in their world, on their terms. Alone, helming under the stars, I dreamed of dolphin culture and mentally made lists of possible dolphin vocations. This helped me create fiction from the dolphin viewpoint. Input from scientists brought authenticity to my marine environmental fantasies and messages. 

Tui's book list on animal stories for love of our planet

Discover why each book is one of Tui's favorite books.

Why did Tui love this book?

This book is about taking the physical path to spiritual freedom, without the need for any religion. It inspired me to cross oceans under sail, to complete ultra-distance multi-disciplinary sports events, and to build my own faith in the divineness of the natural world. Would you believe it helped me win bike races?

And I love that it does all this through the lens of a beautiful feathered sea being. This non-human viewpoint released the author from the prison of human arrogance. Glorious. And it inspired some wonderful music. 

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

By Richard Bach,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked Jonathan Livingston Seagull as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This classic work is now available for the first time in paperback. Since 1951, when the last of the Witchcraft Acts was repealed, many books have been written about the reappearance of witchcraft and the development of a pagan theology. Churchmen have denounced it. Sociologists have wondered at it. Journalists have penned sensational stories about it. But until the publication of this book, no one had told the real story of it from the inside as frankly as it is told here.

Doreen Valiente, one of witchcraft's most widely known figures, was a close friend of the late Gerald Gardner,…


The Alchemist

By Paulo Coelho,

Book cover of The Alchemist

Athena Author Of Murder of Crows: Book One of the Pillars of Dawn

From the list on when destiny calls, and love answers.

Who am I?

I have a passion for the topic because it’s so unlimited. We’re all called to destiny inner/outer in so many ways. We see a lot of stories about those calls being massive adventures with global impact—but sometimes the small stories, those inner calls with inner love answers are just as epic, just as magnificent. Love of family, community, country, lovers, nature… truly, it can be anything. These are just a few books off the older shelves to illustrate the many ways love answers the call. My challenge is to go back and re-read them with this list in mind. Re-visit books from a decade ago, reframe the story with love.

Athena's book list on when destiny calls, and love answers

Discover why each book is one of Athena's favorite books.

Why did Athena love this book?

Again, not a book someone might expect to be on my list, which is why it really should be.

One of the most beautiful layers in this book is that destiny can come from within. It speaks to us. It feeds us with dreams, ignites our passion.

Love is answered by the deepest yearnings of self toward the manifestation of those passions. A little love of our dreams, and ourselves and the destiny they embody goes miles toward a more fulfilling and collaborative life with our world and those who share this experience with us.

I dare you to re-read The Alchemist with this tilt on the work. When Santiago sets out on his adventure to chase his dream—you won’t be able to see the story for anything other than a call from destiny answered by the very love of being alive.

The Alchemist

By Paulo Coelho,

Why should I read it?

20 authors picked The Alchemist as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A global phenomenon, The Alchemist has been read and loved by over 62 million readers, topping bestseller lists in 74 countries worldwide. Now this magical fable is beautifully repackaged in an edition that lovers of Paulo Coelho will want to treasure forever.

Every few decades a book is published that changes the lives of its readers forever. This is such a book - a beautiful parable about learning to listen to your heart, read the omens strewn along life's path and, above all, follow your dreams.

Santiago, a young shepherd living in the hills of Andalucia, feels that there is…


The Rose and the Yew Tree

By Agatha Christie,

Book cover of The Rose and the Yew Tree

Sophie Hannah Author Of How to Hold a Grudge: From Resentment to Contentment - the Power of Grudges to Transform Your Life

From the list on grudges and the fascinating ways they manifest.

Who am I?

Sophie Hannah is currently the world’s only ‘Grudge Guru’ and is desperately waiting and hoping for others to join her in the field (because it’s hard being the only person in the world actively working on such a vital aspect of the human psychological experience!) She is the author of How to Hold a Grudge: From Resentment to Contentment - The Power of Grudges to Improve Your Life - and is the creator and host of the popular podcast How to Hold a Grudge, which has so far run for five series, with a sixth currently in production. Sophie is also a bestselling crime writer who has published seventeen murder mysteries in which grudges play a key role.

Sophie's book list on grudges and the fascinating ways they manifest

Discover why each book is one of Sophie's favorite books.

Why did Sophie love this book?

I first discovered The Rose and the Yew Tree while searching for novels about irreparable rifts between once-close friends. I always seek out books that resonate, thematically, with any current emotional challenge that I have. At the time, I had just been sent the most vicious communication I’ve ever received in my life from someone I’d believed was a close friend. Her letter accused me of two things I hadn’t done, and I was absolutely floored by it. 


Later, once I’d calmed down, I reread the WhatsApp messages I’d sent her in response to her letter, explaining that she was mistaken and that I had not done the things she’d accused me of. I was shocked by my own panicked and subservient tone. I recognised the palpable fear in my words, and I realised that I’d had only one goal at the time: to ward off further attack. 


So, I…

The Rose and the Yew Tree

By Agatha Christie,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Rose and the Yew Tree as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A captivating novel of love and intrigue.

Everyone expected Isabella Charteris, beautiful, sheltered and aristocratic, to marry her cousin Rupert when he came back from the War. It would have been such a suitable marriage. How strange then that John Gabriel, an ambitious and ruthless war hero, should appear in her life. For Isabella, the price of love would mean abandoning her dreams of home and happiness forever. For Gabriel, it would destroy his chance of a career and all his ambitions...

Famous for her ingenious crime books and plays, Agatha Christie also wrote about crimes of the heart, six…


Half Broken Things

By Morag Joss,

Book cover of Half Broken Things

Rebecca Tope Author Of A Cotswold Killing

From the list on unexpected twist to a familiar situation.

Who am I?

I grew up on farms, and have experienced the undercurrents that exist in small villages, which is why I like crime novels with rural settings. I worked as a couple counsellor for a while, which taught me that no fictional character can quite equal the real quirks and inconsistencies of real people—but I love those books which get close. Charles Dickens probably does it best! In my own novels I try to achieve something approaching this, in characters who break away from stereotypes and behave unpredictably. I like to think I manage to be witty sometimes, tooI really love humour, especially when it’s wordplay or subtly ironic.

Rebecca's book list on unexpected twist to a familiar situation

Discover why each book is one of Rebecca's favorite books.

Why did Rebecca love this book?

This book caught my attention because it involves a house-sitter, just as my series does. But Morag’s story could not be more different. It depicts a terrible sequence of events arising from an innocent house-sitting assignment and a growing love for the place, which I as a reader very much shared. The house itself becomes both the setting and the main threat to the well-being of the ‘half-broken’ characters. The story is hauntingly compelling, the characters deeply likeable, and the writing a real delight. This has been one of my great favourites ever since I first read it.

Half Broken Things

By Morag Joss,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Half Broken Things as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A gripping tale of psychological suspense perfect for the readership of Minette Walters and Ruth Rendell, Half Broken Things is a novel that peers into the lives of three dangerously lost people…and the ominous haven they find when they find each other.

Jean is a house sitter at the end of a dreary career. Steph is nine months pregnant and on the run. And Michael is a thief. Through a mixture of deceit, good luck, and misfortune, these three damaged loners have come together at a secluded country home called Walden Manor. Now all three have found what they needed…


Loving What Is

By Byron Katie, Stephen Mitchell,

Book cover of Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life

Geanne Meta Author Of Parenting Well After Childhood Abuse: Be a Great Parent Even if Yours Were Crap

From the list on self-help I wish I’d read sooner.

Who am I?

I’ve been on a quest of healing my childhood trauma for decades. Now I’m living with gratitude and a zest for life. Let my research help you on your own unique journey. Since you’re reading this, it may be the exact time for you to move forward on your self-actualization trip! Here’s a tip: You don’t need “improvement.” You’re already good – you just need help to find it inside and believe it. Here are 5 books that helped me accept myself, made me think differently about others, and opened new possibilities for happiness and peace. 

Geanne's book list on self-help I wish I’d read sooner

Discover why each book is one of Geanne's favorite books.

Why did Geanne love this book?

This book, and a couple of seminars with Byron Katie, really did change my life! I was stuck in negative thinking and couldn’t seem to get out of it. She offers a straightforward method to challenge your thoughts and turn them around to other possibilities. It‘s almost magical how your hurtful beliefs can be changed into accepting “the way it is” without the hurt.

Get this book and get some relief from whatever is bothering you. Truly.

Loving What Is

By Byron Katie, Stephen Mitchell,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Loving What Is as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Discover the truth hiding behind troubling thoughts with Byron Katie’s self-help classic.

In 2003, Byron Katie first introduced the world to The Work with the publication of Loving What Is. Nearly twenty years later, Loving What Is continues to inspire people all over the world to do The Work; to listen to the answers they find inside themselves;and to open their minds to profound, spacious, and life-transforming insights. The Work is simply four questions that, when applied to a specific problem, enable you to see what is troubling you in an entirely different light.

Loving What Is shows you step…


Bartleby the Scrivener

By Herman Melville,

Book cover of Bartleby the Scrivener

R.H. Emmers Author Of Lynerkim's Dance and Other Stories

From the list on stories you should read (but probably haven’t).

Who am I?

I’ve always been attracted to the overlooked, the obscure, the forbidden. Maybe it’s as simple as the fact I grew up in a time when it seemed natural to rebel against norms. Or maybe it’s that I inherited an oddball gene from some ancient ancestor. Anyway, it led me to interesting adventures—hanging out with a crew of gun runners in eastern Turkey—and interesting career choices—strike organizer, private detective, etc. It also shaped my reading and my writing. I read everything, but I’m particularly drawn to the quirkyGrendel, the fiction of Christine Rivera Garza for instance. And in my writing too: Lynerkim, the protagonist of my novella, is undoubtedly an odd duck.

R.H.'s book list on stories you should read (but probably haven’t)

Discover why each book is one of R.H.'s favorite books.

Why did R.H. love this book?

Everybody knows Ahab, but do you know Bartleby? It’s a strange story about a strange man, which, of course, attracts me. Bartleby is a lawyer’s copyist who decides he doesn’t want to do this sort of writing anymore and meets every instruction with the words: I would prefer not to. You can read Bartleby as simply a humorous tale. Or you can read it as a story of the existential crisis most writers, myself included, face at one time or the other. Melville was feeling dissatisfied with his choice of a writing career—the critics were unfriendly—and, in my opinion, the title character reflects this. It’s also, in my view, an implicit critique of economic control in America—my SDS youth would approve! It’s not for nothing that the story’s final words are: “Ah Bartleby! Ah humanity!”

Bartleby the Scrivener

By Herman Melville,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Bartleby the Scrivener as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

At the period just preceding the advent of Bartleby, I had two persons as copyists in my employment, and a promising lad as an office-boy. First, Turkey; second, Nippers; third, Ginger Nut. These may seem names, the like of which are not usually found in the Directory. In truth they were nicknames, mutually conferred upon each other by my three clerks, and were deemed expressive of their respective persons or characters.


I Am That

By Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj,

Book cover of I Am That

Kate Gustin Author Of The No-Self Help Book: Forty Reasons to Get Over Your Self and Find Peace of Mind

From the list on spiritual books to find out who you really are.

Who am I?

I’ve spent my professional life as a psychologist delving into the inner workings of the “self.” After working with thousands of clients over the past twenty-five years, I’ve come to understand the liabilities and limitations of the mind’s constructed sense of personhood. These books, including the one I wrote, attempt to address the ages-old question of “who am I?” from a different perspective than that of conventional conceptual identity. They transmit something to us about the core consciousness of our make-up that we may know intuitively but do not encounter often in western discourse. If you’re a truth seeker, curious about your essential nature, then I’m sure you’ll find them compelling. 

Kate's book list on spiritual books to find out who you really are

Discover why each book is one of Kate's favorite books.

Why did Kate love this book?

I love this book!  I’ve returned to it many times over the years. It’s my rock. It contains a series of questions and responses of students in dialogue with the well-known Indian sage Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. His teachings are direct, down-to-earth, and very timely, in that they address matters of continued importance to all of us: the nature of reality, suffering, mind, body, agency, fear, happiness, peace…and pretty much every truth you can think of!  It’s 550 pages of unadulterated wisdom.   

I Am That

By Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked I Am That as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Back cover This collection of the timeless teachings of one of the greatest sages of India, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, is a testament to the uniqueness of the seer's life and work and is regarded by many as a modern spiritual classic. I Am That (first published in 1973) continues to draw new audiences and to enlighten seekers anxious for self-realization. Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj was a teacher who did not propound any ideology or religion, but gently unwrapped the mystery of the self. His message was simple, direct, and sublime. I Am That preserves his dialogs with the followers who came…


Be Here Now

By Ram Dass,

Book cover of Be Here Now

Srikumar Rao Author Of Modern Wisdom, Ancient Roots: The Movers and Shakers' Guide to Unstoppable Success

From the list on spiritual dynamite.

Who am I?

I am Srikumar Rao – best selling author, TED speaker, and elite coach. I have spent more than five decades studying the teachings of the world’s greatest masters and distilling them into exercises that enable successful individuals to reach entirely new orbits of accomplishment while remaining serene as a Zen monk. My course, Creativity and Personal Mastery, was among the highest-rated and most popular at many of the world’s top business schools and is the only one to have its own alumni association. My work has been covered by major media worldwide and my talks have been viewed by tens of millions on all six continents.

Srikumar's book list on spiritual dynamite

Discover why each book is one of Srikumar's favorite books.

Why did Srikumar love this book?

This is one of the two books that defined the entire era of hippies and flower children in the sixties and seventies. (The other is The Whole Earth Catalog by Stewart Brand.)

The first part of the book is a highly readable first-person account of how Richard Alpert, Harvard psychologist, went to India, met his guru, and became Ram Dass. The next section has hundreds of cryptic sayings in artistic depictions on brown paper.

These are drawn from Eastern traditions and challenge your notions of what is ‘real’. The third and final section is a series of essays on topics like happiness, yoga, transmuting energy, and so on.

Be Here Now

By Ram Dass,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Be Here Now as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Beloved guru Ram Dass tells the story of his spiritual awakening and gives you the tools to take control of your life in this “counterculture bible” (The New York Times) featuring powerful guidance on yoga, meditation, and finding your true self.

When Be Here Now was first published in 1971, it filled a deep spiritual emptiness, launched the ongoing mindfulness revolution, and established Ram Dass as perhaps the preeminent seeker of the twentieth century.

Just ten years earlier, he was known as Professor Richard Alpert. He held appointments in four departments at Harvard University. He published books, drove a Mercedes…


Meditations

By Marcus Aurelius (lead author), Gregory Hays (translator),

Book cover of Meditations: A New Translation

Kyle McDowell Author Of Begin With WE: 10 Principles for Building and Sustaining a Culture of Excellence

From the list on becoming the leader you wish you had.

Who am I?

I’ve always been fascinated with leadership and the skills required to be a great leader. This fascination also indirectly drew my attention to the sheer volume of bad bosses in the workplace. For nearly three decades, I was fortunate enough to amass an impressive track record of delivering great business results while leading tens of thousands of employees at some of America’s largest corporations. However in spite of those results, I still found myself unfilled and apathetic toward the environments I actually helped to create. I knew there had to be a better way and the books on my list helped me find the energy and passion I entered the workforce with so long ago. 

Kyle's book list on becoming the leader you wish you had

Discover why each book is one of Kyle's favorite books.

Why did Kyle love this book?

Written nearly 2k years ago, Meditations was never intended for public consumption.

However Marcus’ profound understanding of human behavior, the importance of operating selflessly within a bigger context, and the importance of supporting others makes this an important read for just about everyone. 

Meditations

By Marcus Aurelius (lead author), Gregory Hays (translator),

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked Meditations as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Nearly two thousand years after it was written, Meditations remains profoundly relevant for anyone seeking to lead a meaningful life.

Few ancient works have been as influential as the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, philosopher and emperor of Rome (A.D. 161–180). A series of spiritual exercises filled with wisdom, practical guidance, and profound understanding of human behavior, it remains one of the greatest works of spiritual and ethical reflection ever written. Marcus’s insights and advice—on everything from living in the world to coping with adversity and interacting with others—have made the Meditations required reading for statesmen and philosophers alike, while generations…


The Richest Man In Babylon

By George S. Clason,

Book cover of The Richest Man In Babylon

Ryan Scribner Author Of From Side Hustle to Main Hustle to Millionaire: 13 Lessons to Turn Your Passion Into a Passive Paycheck

From the list on how to get a side hustle started.

Who am I?

I’ve been trying to make money on the internet since I was 12. While it took me many failed attempts to eventually figure out how, I succeeded with this goal in 2016. I launched a YouTube channel related to one of my lifelong passions; personal finance. From there, I broadened my horizons by creating multiple standalone affiliate blogs unrelated to my YouTube channel. Every one of my successes and failures has taught me valuable lessons about the side hustle journey.

Ryan's book list on how to get a side hustle started

Discover why each book is one of Ryan's favorite books.

Why did Ryan love this book?

If you’re like me and looking to use a side hustle as a means of escape from your job, you’ll need to adopt some extreme frugality habits. The Richest Man in Babylon is a series of parables that each teach an important lesson about money. One of the biggest lessons is that a portion of what you earn needs to be “yours to keep.” Learning how to set money aside will allow you to save up enough to transition from side hustle to main hustle. 

The Richest Man In Babylon

By George S. Clason,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Richest Man In Babylon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Richest Man in Babylon, based on “Babylonian parables”, has been hailed as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift, financial planning, and personal wealth.  In simple language, these fascinating and informative stories set you on a sure path to prosperity and its accompanying joys.  A celebrated bestseller, it offers an understanding and a solution to your personal financial problem.  Revealed inside are the secrets to acquiring money, keeping money, and making money earn more money.

This original edition has the original language, content, and message from George S. Clason as intended in 1926.  It's all…


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