Fans pick 100 books like Unmade Hearts

The colonial period of Mexico was a mystery to me, so I turned to the ultimate source, this book by Paz. Surprisingly, I found that I did not agree with all of Paz’s conclusions about Sor Juana and the time she lived. He wrote from a male perspective, a middle-aged scholarly male perspective. Sor Juana was a young woman, a distinguished scholar in her own right. Had she written such a history, it would be quite different.

Sadly, there is no such book written from a woman’s perspective, so I invite you to join me in discovering what nuggets of wisdom you can in this book, truly the ultimate deep dive into Sor Juana’s life and times. Yes, I relied a great deal on Paz’s research. You will find it fascinating too.

This lavishly illustrated story of the Virgin of Guadalupe is simply stunning. The authors committed themselves to extensive research, from the very first story of the Virgin's appearance through discoveries about the constellations on her robe, the images in the background, and even recent discoveries of the images in her eyes.

And still, the question remains: Why has this tulpa made of peasant’s cloth not deteriorated, like all other fabrics from that era? Now I understand why the Virgin of Guadalupe is the patron of Mexico City.

Royer adores Sor Juana, as do I. There are some wonderful surprises here, such as a long list of authors that Sor Juana likely read. The images that he presents, such as the church where la Vicereine Leonore was buried, are personal rather than scholarly. Yes, he does still speak from a purely male perspective, but it feels gentler than most.

Sor Juana was dubbed “The Tenth Muse” by an admiring priest in Spain upon publication of her poetry, and the sobriquet has remained with her throughout the centuries.

Sor Juana wrote hundreds and hundreds of poems in all manner of styles, from short, spiffy, and even humorous ones to elaborate villancicos performed in a cathedral. Here is a brief collection in both Spanish and English, a few of her shorter love poems. The poems may have been written for her lover, la Vicereine Maria Louisa, or as a commission for a gentleman’s wife or lover. In any event, they are magnificent, such as:

Oh, how I went up in flames

In your lovely Sun!

Hungry for the bait,

I forgot the danger.

Reading these poems, I could not doubt the depth of Sor Juana’s passion.

In exploring the magic around us, we can see the effects of the good, bad, and curses. The danger of using magic for love spells is that it can backfire. I believe there are people who can reunite with us for many lifetimes, and there are multiple reincarnations of ourselves.

I am not a crier, but I came close in this one. The ending was not what I wanted and was completely unexpected, but that’s the type of book that will keep you thinking about them for a while afterward. I personally love books that have that effect on the reader!

I love this book because when I first read it, I felt I was home.

It was recommended by a friend who recognized in me a leaning toward this type of literature. In the book, Kahlil describes all the different aspects of our lives and how/who we should strive to be in these areas. For instance, we should work in love as our “work” is our service to humanity. Hence, Kahlil’s phrase "Work Is Love Made Visible."

Mysticism and Logic is a significant work written by British philosopher Bertrand Russell. It has always been a favorite of mine as it engages two seemingly contradictory aspects of human thought: mysticism and logic.

He delves into the nature of mystical experiences and attempts to analyze them with the principles of logical reasoning. By exploring these contrasting perspectives, Russell invites readers to question and critically examine different ways of understanding the world and reality. While acknowledging the profound influence of mystical experiences on human thought and culture, he subjects mystical beliefs and experiences to logical scrutiny.

By applying principles of rationality, he challenges the coherence and evidential basis of mystical claims. This critical evaluation encourages us to approach mystical experiences with a balanced and critical mindset that I feel is at the heart of neurotheology.

I have known Dena Merriam for many decades and am aware of her very solid and consistent meditation practice and her devotion to her guru, Paramahansa Yogananda.

What I learned in this book is that in her meditation Dena has experienced quite a few of her past lives, and here she takes us back from 20th century Russia to 19th century America, 18th century Africa, early 15th century India, late 15th century Persia, 16th century Japan, and 17th century India. She even recollects what happens in between births.

It's amazing to recognize the patterns, people, and beliefs that we carry along from birth to birth, how the lessons of one life influence the following ones, and the spiritual guidance that takes us through our journeys through time.

This is the true story of a game ranger who worked with African Wildlife in the early part of the history of the Kruger National Park. It is a well-written account of a bygone error where the heroic deeds of one man could make a difference. I loved this book because it evoked in me a sense of the dramatic history of the Southern African Game Reserves and the struggle to attain recognition during the early days when animals were a resource only to be hunted. There were a few brave men who recognized the value of conservation and preservation of wildlife, leading to the wildlife game reserve industry as we know it today. If not for the efforts of these few brave souls our world today would be a poorer place.

Harvey chooses from a variety of faith traditions (including Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, and Ancient Greek thought) to share mystical and spiritual passages from sacred texts. His approach is not to explain the meaning as he sees it, but to offer the selections for readers to immerse themselves in the beautiful, historical writings without too much direction. This book is a source of renewal for me. My copy is dog-eared and highlighted. There is writing in the margins and post-its on the pages. I find the words of the mystics, including Rumi, Buddha, and saints like Francis of Assisi as a balm to my weary soul. More than once, sections of this book have been read aloud in my yoga classes.