The Non-Fiction Books I'm Reading Right Now

 How do you feel about non-fiction books? I love them. Covering a wide range of topics, in many different formats and lengths, I believe there is a non-fiction book for everyone. Generally, I prefer history or philosophy books, but can also be taken by art books, travel, spirituality, or anything really that grabs my interest! Sometimes a book will grab my interest and I'll read the whole thing, cover to cover. Other times a chapter here or an excerpt there is enough to This week I thought I would share with you the non-fiction books that are on my desk. These have all come from the library and have developed from a prior interest of mine. 

The Top Five Regrets of the Dying ~ Bronnie Ware

I didn't get too far into this book before I started crying. Bronnie Ware is such a genuine, warm-hearted person and in this book she reflects on the time spent with people at the end of their lives in her role as a palliative carer. Even though she originally began with no formal training, her beautiful, patient and easy-going nature make her the perfect companion. Her reflections include, as the book's title suggests, the top five regrets of the dying people that she has cared for. It seems many of them were shared across different people from different walks on life. A very deep and moving book that reminds us that life is short and we should aim to live with no regrets.  

The Daily Stoic ~ Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman

If you've stopped by here before then you will know that I often look to Stoics such as Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus for my Bitesize Inspiration. I wanted to learn more about Stoicism and have really enjoyed the website, Daily Stoic, also managed by Ryan Holiday. This book offers a short, yet important, introduction to Stoicism as a philosophy and its impact on its followers in the Ancient Greek and Roman world. The bulk of the book is a daily devotional with 365 quotes from Stoics to help live life guided by these principles in our modern world. I love it. You know how much I believe we can learn from the classics to live a better life today, and this book is right up my alley. Expect more Stoic quotes and reflections in the near future!

How The Classics Made Shakespeare ~ Jonathan Bate

This was one that I picked up at the library on a whim. It's title caught my eye and although I haven't gotten far into this one, I'm glad I picked it up. I haven't discussed Shakespeare yet on this blog, which isn't to say that I am not a fan or that I haven't read any of his work. I have read, and studied, a number of his plays and sonnets and enjoy his work immensely. I am hoping that as I get further into this book that I will find some inspiration to bring Shakespeare into our discussions here. The title itself speaks of looking to the classics for inspiration, and if they were good enough for Shakespeare, they should be good enough for us!

Self-Help ~ Samuel Smiles

Samuel Smiles' aptly titled book, "Self-Help" only recently came into my life, but it has already made an appearance in a Bitesize Inspiration post. As I mentioned in that quote, there is a lot of Smiles work that I agree with, but then there are other parts that I'm not necessarily on board with. When we read non-fiction, it is not always because we want to read things that we agree with or that re-affirm our beliefs and values. Sometimes it is important to read non-fiction that challenges the way that we think and makes us questions our beliefs. This is a good thing and shouldn't be avoided. The main thing that I take from Smiles's writings here, is that we should always look to be improving our selves in a sense on self-education and learning. As Smiles says, The greatest slave is not he who is ruled by a despot, great though that evil be, but he who is the thrall of his own moral ignorance, selfishness, and vice. With access to more information and self-education tools than ever before, there really is no excuse for us to remain in a state of selfish ignorance. 

Laudato Si ~ Pope Francis

The subtitle for this book is ""On Care for Our Common Home." Regardless if you are Catholic, Christian, Muslim, or a non-believer, this book speaks of an imperative need for us to act collectively to protect our earth and the poorest people who live here and are, inextricably linked, to the impoverished state of our planet. Pope Francis, the author of this text, discusses many tough issues about the state of our world and how we must change before it is too late, but he does it with a sense of encouragement and hope; as he say: “All it takes is one good person to restore hope.”

I would love to hear what your thoughts are on non-fiction books - either those that I've discussed here, or ones that you are currently reading or have read in the past. How have they impacted your life? Did they challenge you? Were they for the instruction of learning something new? Samuel Smiles would be proud :)

Have a wonderful week, and thanks for stopping by.