Here are just a few books that I've thoroughly enjoyed that have made a positive impact on my understanding and perspective of many things. In no particular order.
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Get the inside scoop on where the food you eat comes from and how it gets to your plate. Incredibly enlightening. It has made it much easier for me to choose my meals wisely.
"What should we have for dinner? To find out, Pollan follows each of the food chains that sustain us—industrial food, organic or alternative food, and food we forage ourselves—from the source to a final meal, and in the process develops a definitive account of the American way of eating. His absorbing narrative takes us from Iowa cornfields to food-science laboratories, from feedlots and fast-food restaurants to organic farms and hunting grounds, always emphasizing our dynamic coevolutionary relationship with the handful of plant and animal species we depend on. Each time Pollan sits down to a meal, he deploys his unique blend of personal and investigative journalism to trace the origins of everything consumed, revealing what we unwittingly ingest and explaining how our taste for particular foods and flavors reflects our evolutionary inheritance.
The Omnivore’s Dilemma change the way we think about the politics and pleasure of eating. For anyone who reads it, dinner will never again look, or taste, quite the same."
Don't have time to read, or want more of Michael? Check out Authors@Google with Michael Pollan on YouTube.
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Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
Must must must read. Runner or not. An incredible story yes, but what I believe makes it special is how he intertwines evolution, historical facts about running and the industry surrounding it, shoes in particular. It increases awareness to the point of making change inevitable whether in mind, body or both.
"The book begins with the question "Why does my foot hurt?" In his quest for answers, McDougall discovers the Tarahumara Indians, who are quite possibly the most intriguing (and greatest) distance runners on the planet. Their real name "Raramuri" translates into "The Running People".
Born to run tackles many issues issues, including why are so many runners injured every year (some data suggests as many as 80% of runners get injured every year), does running make a great man or woman or does a great man or woman make a great runner, and ultimately - aren't we all "Born to Run" by our very nature, history and bio-mechanical makeup?
Born To Run is a must-have book that belongs in anyone's library who is even remotely interested in running, or for that matter the human race. After all, we are all really Born to Run aren't we?" - Excerpts from the SoCalRunnerGirl blog.
No time to read, or want more of McDougall? Check out this must see video. Thank you Authors@Google.
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The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay
One of my absolute all time favorite journeys about a young boy, Peekay, his trials and tribulations from the age of 5, his antagonists, his mentors, the outlet he found in sport and how it served to unite people. Here is a great "book trailer" on YouTube.
"In 1939, as Hitler casts his enormous, cruel shadow across the world, the seeds of apartheid take root in South Africa. There, a boy called Peekay is born. His childhood is marked by humiliation and abandonment, yet he vows to survive and conceives heroic dreams–which are nothing compared to what life actually has in store for him. He embarks on an epic journey through a land of tribal superstition and modern prejudice where he will learn the power of words, the power to transform lives, and the power of one." - From Random House Publishing.
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Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
"Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you're alive, it isn't."
"Just be who you are, calm, clear and bright. Automatically, as we shine who we are, asking ourselves every minute is this what I really want to do, doing it only when the answer is yes. Automatically that turns away those who have nothing to learn from who we are and attracts those who do, and from whom we have to learn as well."
In the cloud-washed airspace between the cornfields of Illinois and blue infinity, a man puts his faith in the propeller of his biplane. For disillusioned writer and itinerant barnstormer Richard Bach, belief is as real as a full tank of gas and sparks firing in the cylinders...until he meets Donald Shimoda--former mechanic and self-described messiah who can make wrenches fly and Richard's imagination soar....
In Illusions, the unforgettable follow-up to his phenomenal bestseller Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Richard Bach takes to the air to discover the ageless truths that give our souls wings: that people don't need airplanes to soar...that even the darkest clouds have meaning once we lift ourselves above them... and that messiahs can be found in the unlikeliest places--like hay fields, one-traffic-light midwestern towns, and most of all, deep within ourselves.
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One Man's Leg by Paul Martin
I met Paul Martin through the Challenged Athletes Foundation 10 years ago. He's been a great friend who's had an amazing journey in sports (triathlon, cycling, skiing and more) since losing his leg. More importantly he always cracks me up. His book definitely increase my awareness in this world in more ways than one. Enjoy!!
One Man’s Leg is the story of Paul’s life from a less-than-gracious youth to his experiences in the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games. From his days in a foster home to those in a fraternity house to those trying to decide which love to chase, this memoir is as much a celebration of learning each day of the journey as it is laughing at every opportunity.
