Books, books, books! I love books. I have always been a massive book worm. In primary school, I read my library’s entire collection of The Baby Sitter’s Club books (including the Little Sister series – yep), and whenever I move house (which is apparently a once-a-year thing for me), carting my boxes of books from place to place always leaves astonished at just how many I have accumulated…
Plus, if you’re anything like me, you’ll have a list of ‘To Read” books that you’re constantly adding to, never quite getting to the bottom of, before another one jumps up on your radar! And we wouldn’t have it any other way, would we?
I’m definitely a non-fiction, autobiography kinda girl (although I do love Harry Potter), as I go wild for a life lesson, an incredible story, a snippet of truth that Makes Life Better. So today, I thought I’d share 10 books that have changed my life, in some way or another. Just for fun, I’ve listed them in the order I initially read them. Although for most of them, I’ve gone back again and again… Enjoy!
Update: I’ve since set up an affiliate account with Amazon, which means it’s much easier for you to take home any of these books (if they take your fancy), plus I get a wee throwback if you purchase through these links. 🙂
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1. The Liver Cleansing Diet: Love Your Liver & Live Longer by Sandra Cabot
Struck down with severe liver inflammation at 17, this book was my bible as I learnt all about food as medicine and the healing power of whole foods. I still refer back to it, 10 years later (really – 10 years?!) regularly for simple and easy to understand wisdom, recipes and inspiration.
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2. Eat Pray Love: One Woman’s Search For Everything Across Italy, India & Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert
I read this book while I was travelling a few years ago; I read it in India BEFORE traveling to Italy, so I did things a little backwards to Liz, but holy heck I love this book. The story-telling, her vulnerability and hilarity, the characters and the TRUTH and the way you see yourself in everything she writes… Gilbert is the bomb.
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3. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay
How many people’s ‘journey into self’ begins with this book? I’m betting on a bunch. I remember the promising feeling I had buying this book, that things were about to change… I was definitely not disappointed. Louise Hay is a goddess and this book is a must read.
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4. The Art of Happiness by His Holiness the Dalai Llama and Howard C. Cutler, MD.
I took this book with me on a yoga retreat to Bali in 2012; a week that turned out to be a real game changer for me. I’d bought it second hand, so there were a few pages missing (!!) but it didn’t take away from the powerful concepts in this book. Lessons I needed to learn (the inevitably and importance of suffering, for example) at just the right time.
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5. I Quit Sugar: Your Complete 8-Week Detox Program & Cookbook by Sarah Wilson
Without a doubt, of all the books I’ve read on What To Eat and How To Eat, this one stands out for me. It’s not just the food (and it’s definitely not just about the sugar), but more-so the gentle and playful, PRACTICAL attitude that Sarah brings to deciding what to put on your plate. She’s my hero.
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6. The Fire Starter Sessions: A Soulful & Practical Guide to Creating Success on Your Terms by Danielle La Porte
Danielle La Porte is my hero too. I’ve read this book a few times now and each time I’m guided to something new; for anyone with creative dreams, a fire in their belly, a story to be told… This book will get you moving – with soul – quick-smart.
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7. The Power of Now: A Guide To Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
I struggled with this book at first. I think you need to be in a certain place to read it… But when I did melt into Tolle’s words, I was mesmerised. This book is truly like coming home; it’s like remembering. It’s expansive and life-changing and you won’t ever see the world the same after finishing it. A read over-and-over again book.
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8. Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love & Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed
Want a book (or an Author for that matter) to ignite your desire to put pen to paper? Read this book. Strayed’s brutal and beautiful writing style is addictive, astonishing and awe-inspiring. This book is real and strange and lovely and messed up. I dig it.
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9. Money, A Love Story: Untangle Your Financial Woes & Create the Life You Really Want by Kate Northrup
I’m actually still reading this! It. Has. Changed. My. Life. I’ve had such an irky relationship with money (particularly over the last few years) and Northrup has helped to iron out some stuffy old beliefs I had around money BIG time. She’s delivered a wicked set of practical, soulful tools, insight and advice that have actually (truly) got me excited about budgeting, tracking, saving and spending my money. So grateful for this book!
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10. Women Food & God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything by Geneen Roth
I read this last week while I was in Bali (an interesting choice considering I was basically eating my way around the island), and damn I wish I had this book when I was 22 and battling big time with my body. While I’ve already make some big shifts re: intuitive eating, losing the scales and reduced the food obsession to a fraction of what it used to be, there was definitely a lot of aha! moments surrounding emotional eating, FEELING our feelings (rather than eating them), meditation and presence in regard to food that I found extremely useful and enlightening.
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So there you have it – 10 reads that I highly recommend. Have you read any of these books too? What books would you add to the list? I’d love for you to share with me in the comments below! And if you could share this post with your pals, I’ve got BIG love for you. xo
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Oh good selection honey! So many of these are on my list too. Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life marked a massive turning point for me. I also have a couple more titles to add to that never ending list now – thank you. I do find that I need to break up the game changing reads with some good fiction reads so I give my monkey mind a bit of a break. Sometimes there is nothing better than diving into a good story and losing yourself in another world.
I really should try to read more fiction… I always enjoy it when I do! x
You and I are so similar Claire it makes my laugh! (Right down to the Babysitters Club series – and not to forget the Little Sister books about Karen’s adventures! lol). I have 6 of the above mentioned books and will definitely be adding the other 4 to my NEVER-ENDING list of ‘To-Read’ books – Do you use the Goodreads app to track yours? If not, you should check it out, it’s awesome!
As for books to add, I would definitely say Mind Over Medicine by Dr Lissa Rankin, Make Peace With Your Plate by Jess Ainscough and anything by Gabby Bernstein xx
Haha YES! I loved Karen. I don’t use that app no, better get onto it – thanks! Love Make Peace, awesome read. I’m not a huuuuuge Gabby fan, but I did like Spirit Junkie. I might need to read some more of her stuff. Thanks for sharing lovely lady! x
Claire, this list is amazing! I think I share several similar books on my shelf. I have actually been wanting to reread Eat, Pray, Love and Power of Now. Doing it 🙂
Take care of your self! Chest infections are no fun so cuddle up and get better!
xo
I have read several of the books as well and LOVE them. Everything by Eckhart Tolle is amazing and I agree that you have to be in a certian phase in your life to appreciate and be able to take in the information. You can heal your life is also amazing! I would love to add “rich dad, poor dad”, “The success principles” by Jack Canfield and anything by Paulo Coelho.
Great post as always!
I love these posts – I get HUGE book inspiration!
I’m sitting at 50% in your list Clare – not bad at all! Adding the rest to my ‘to read’ list also….
I loved Brene Brown’s ‘The Gifts of Imperfection’, and Steven Kings ‘On Writing’ are two of my faves too.
Oh and did you see that J.K Rowling has released a new Harry Potter short story on the site, Pottersmore? I haven’t read it yet but am DYING to! Harry is almost 34 years old in it…….Wow.
xxx
Wow! What a great list Claire.
I’ve read #1,2,5,6 and 7. And I agree- awesome books.
You’re the second person this weekend to recommend Monday: A Love Story, so I’m off to hunt it down.
Thanks for sharing.
What a great list, Claire! I am currently reading The Power Of Now and find myself wanting to highlight almost every sentence. So deep and powerful! Danielle LaPorte’s work is on my ‘to purchase’ list. Have you read The Desire Map?
I also just ordered Adam Braun’s Promise Of A Pencil and can’t wait to dig in…
Love this Claire, some real gems here!! There are a couple I definitely need to buy and have a read of….. Tiny Beautiful Things sound interesting – that could be next on my hit list x
Claire, this is so incredibly close to my list it is creepy! Eat, Pray, Love is my favourite and it is a weird superstition I have that is has to be read on every overseas holiday I’ve been on. It’s been dropped in the pool and run over by a bike but it is still hanging in there! (I would also highly recommend “The Lost Girls” too, similar story and equally as amazing.)
I only re-read The Power of Now last week and remembered why it was so powerful the first time around. I have tried super hard to include some of those practices in my life and hope little by little they are making a difference.
Thanks for the great list and we should compare Baby Sitters Club collections sometime…. I think my sister and I are up to around 110! We still nab them if we see them in a op shop 🙂
I have read numbers 2, 4, 5 and 7 🙂 loved them all! But my all time favourite book which is a definitely must read in my opinion is Anatomy of the Spirit by Caroline Myss. Have you read it? I love anything by Caroline Myss, so amazing! Also on my list is Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch (game changer for me), Beauty from the inside out by Dr Libby and I enjoyed the 5 love languages as well 🙂 I am reading Autobiography of a Yogi at the moment but now I definitely have some more books to add to my list!!
Hi,
Great list thank you 🙂
I just wanted to say how much I’m loving your blogs and websites too. Def one of my new faves and great inspiration. Love Carly xx
Loved this list! Some of my faves are on there, for sure.. power of now, fantastic read although I know what you mean about it being a bit of a tricky one as well. Need to revisit it! The desire map is definitely on my list as well. And why zebras dont get ulcers (my little sciency nutrition brain loves it! Such a fun read too). xx
Oh my! So many good books here. I’m finally reading You Can Heal your Life after it’s made it’s way into my life lately (literally 4 people recommended it in the past few weeks). Eat Pray Love was the first book that really introduced me to a non-religious spirituality, and I love to return to the wonderful stories. Geneen Roth has changed my relationship to food & my body! Some of my favorites are Brene Brown – Daring Greatly and The GIfts of Imperfections. She really hits home, and I can barely read a page without another huge a-ha moment or sense of connection.
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I read Women Food and God recently and loved it so much!
1 4 and 8 i haven’t read…
Fire Starter Sessions I brought years ago and it’s still sitting here waiting to be read! I love Danielle so not sure what my resistance is but will aim to make time for it very soon!!
OOOHHHH, it’s just the best. You will love it – whenever the right time is for you to read it 🙂 x
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