- Karen Routt
Our Favorite Books, What’s Yours?
We thought we would share with you a selection of our favorite books. We each share a short summary of why we chose our books. We found this to be a rewarding experience and hope it inspires you to reflect on your favorite book and why.
The Power of Now
Author: Eckhart Tolle
This book is in a league by itself. While the subtitle says “A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment”, I found the concepts apply to all areas of life. I found new discoveries along the way. For example, we are not our mind. It is so powerful when you truly internalize his proposition that the present moment, the Now, is where problems don’t exist, you can find your joy, and you embrace your true self.
In Cold Blood
Author: Truman Capote
In Cold Blood was my favorite book I read in school growing up. While the story the book tells is not by any means a friendly one, I appreciated the way Capote presented the characters and information to the reader. This book always stood out to me because of the way it forced me to think about the people around me. Every person and every action have a story. In Cold Blood taught me to be conscious of that.
Leave it to Psmith
Author: P.G. Wodehouse
Though it is difficult to pick a favorite book, this is one I re-read every few years because it is simply delightful and makes me laugh out loud every time. Wodehouse is a master of description and character. No matter what kind of day I’ve had, reading about the purloined necklaces, mistaken identities and damsels in distress in this plot makes things right again. By the author of the better-known Jeeves and Wooster series, this book is a perfect introduction to the brilliance of a comic genius.
The Muhammad Ali Reader
Author: Gerald Early
Thirty people provide their perspective of a simple, but complex human being who became one of the most revered people on the earth. These different perspectives helped me understand Ali as more than just a boxer. Essayists include usual notables like George Plimpton, but also the perspectives of Joyce Carol Oates and Jackie Robinson. In my opinion, Muhammad Ali represents a person who had conviction and values, regardless of what others thought. Ali kept to his beliefs and was proud of how he portrayed himself. At twenty years old, this book has longevity. Whenever I think about the essays, they remind me what it means to be who you are and to remember to fight for your beliefs.