“A good book on your shelf is a friend that turns its back on you and remains a friend.” ~Author Unknown

At TJCC we achieve collective learning through the deep conversations and intimate connections that first germinate in our posts, then blossom through comments and emails. It’s a natural fit for us to have an ongoing feature where contributors and editors share those resources that reflect the more personal part of our cultural learning center.

Why Books?

Why didn’t we choose to highlight our authenticity by noting our favorite artist, our favorite film, our favorite cheese?

We might someday. But let’s start with books, the origins of our formal classroom learning. And mix it up with life lessons.

Books we love most tell the true tale of who we are. It is in between the pages where we can examine fragile thoughts without breaking them, or handle incendiary ideas without fear of getting burned.

Books have told stories, delivered valuable lessons and harbored the best and worst of humanity for hundreds of years. Textbooks, e-books, biographies and anthologies. Children’s books, language and poetry books.

Books are some of the sharpest tools in the cultural learning toolbox. By writing them, we create ideas. By reading them, we learn.

Books have the power to educate and unify. Regardless of cultural differences.

A List with Lessons

We went beyond listing the books; we wanted to share what our favorite books truly meant to us by way of the lasting impact contained in their message.

Through sharing, we initiate conversation – a single person, in small to large groups, and through societies scattered across the globe. We gathered our collective wisdom to teach one another – and share here with you.

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Frank Mundo

My favorite book is Ask the Dust by Los Angeles writer John Fante. Reading this book changed my life forever. I was 18 years old and I loved to read and write, but this book made me want to be a writer. There’s just something magical about the writing: it’s poetry and prose — it’s art and craft — even now. I read it every couple of years, and each time I find something new and more wonderful than the last. Like Charles Bukowski, Fante was my God in the darkest and lonliest time of my life. I can’t imagine a more important book to me than Ask the Dust.

Christa Avampato

My favorite book is Alice in Wonderland. For a recommended resource, I’d list a book I just finished: Inside Obama’s Brain. The book has incredible life lessons for everyone, no matter what we do for a living or how we spend our free time. Obama’s confidence and belief in his destiny are powerful motivators. I just spoke to the author for Examiner.com and what surprised him most about Obama is Obama’s ability to imagine how all the different routes he could take in life would manifest in the long run. A tremendous use of analytical thinking to build idealistic dreams.

Tara Joyce

The book is Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. Why? As a kid, I don’t think there was a single book I read more. I would repeatedly take this collection of poems out of the library and pour over them like I was reading them for the first time. Reflecting on the emotions this book stirs in me today, I observe that Shel’s energetic, whimsical and hopeful writing-style, and the eccentric drawings that complimented his poems, connect with my need for authentic self-expression, support my belief that my dreams can be shaped into reality, and provide me with assurance that even in adulthood, I can still be child-like and fun-loving.

Sean Platt

I can’t possibly pick a favorite book, as I’ve been inhaling pages since I could string sentences together. However, I’ll pick a book by Mark Halprin, Solider of the Great War, since it was the first book that floored me with it’s poetic language. I remember reading it and thinking, How can anyone articulate simple thought with such majesty? But he did. I think in a quiet way, that book had something to do with my eventually moving my own pen across the page.

Elisa Philips

My favorite book right now is Outliers by Malcom Gladwell. Reinforced the need to think differently about the way we educate children and foster talents which take 10+ years to form. Every child should be educated (build more schools not jails) and the standards for schools should be taken up about 5 notches. Bridge the gap between public and private school. If kids in the Bronx can do it, anyone can.

Dani at Positively Present

As an avid reader, it’s really hard to pin down my absolute favorite book. It’s hard to even think of my top five favorite books. So, instead of discussing the book that’s my favorite, I’m going to talk about the book that’s influenced me the most lately.

On a recent business trip, I picked up a copy of Positivity by Barbara Frederickson. I’d been meaning to read this book for awhile, considering I have a blog that focuses on positivity, but I’d never gotten around to reading it. When I saw it propped up in a small bookshop staring me in the face, I decided it was high time I picked up a copy. And, man, am I glad I did. The book has impacted in more in the past few days that almost any book I’ve read. I can hardly put it down and my mind is racing with all of the great information, most of which I can attest to first hand. It’s the kind of book I believe anyone and everyone interested in changing their lives for the better should read.

I could go on forever about books I love (and for more on those, check out the “Brilliant Books” section on www.positivelypresent.com), but this one has had a tremendous impact on me lately and I would recommend it to anyone. If you haven’t already read it, pick up a copy ASAP!

Amanda Hirsch

Favorite book: The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron

What I learned: The Artist’s Way is my gospel – it unlocked the artist trapped inside me, and set me on the path of living my life as a work of art.

Kellie Fitzgerald

My favorite book is constantly evolving. Most recently, it is A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. While reading this book, I was reminded that the female spirit and the relationships that we form with one another are incredibly resilient. I was moved by Mariam & Laila’s ability to find pleasure in simple things like a cup of tea or the moonlight on a warm night amidst their life of unimaginable loss, violence, injustice and suffering.

Stephanie Finigan

Fave book: (such a hard question!): A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. What did I learn: That geeks and misfits really do end up as the cool kids you admire and wish you were friends with. Oh and one more just b/c I loved this book so so much (who didn’t??): She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb. I learned: There is always hope!

Join the conversation! What’s your favorite book? What did you learn?

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