2014 Reading List

I love reading!

At any given moment, I am vacillating between 5-7 books (a practice I don’t exactly recommend). So when I read the quote that began my 5 Year Project, I decided to focus solely on the part of the quote I felt needed work.

“You’re the same today as you’ll be in five years except for the people you meet and the books you read.” Charlie “Tremendous” Jones

As of the start of 2014, I’ve had 75 cups of coffee with strangers in order to NOT be the same person in 5 years that I am today. Each week I add a new name to that list, and yet another stranger becomes a friend. It’s a project that has changed my life, for the better, in innumerable ways! The book documenting the journey is in progress, so stay tuned!

For 2014, I have decided to be a bit more deliberate in my reading, but more specifically, in the chronicling of the books I read. One lesson I’ve learned from Coffee With a Stranger is the power of recording something in writing. I can’t promise lengthy book reviews, or even short ones for that matter. But I will be keeping a record of the books I read, and the books I plan to read. A HUGE thank you to all my friends and former strangers who have contributed titles to this list! I look forward to reading the words you found inspiring, moving or impactful.

Without further ado…

2014 Reading List

  1. The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer Read! WONDERFUL!!!!
  2. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt Read! Good. I would say GREAT! if 100 pages of bla, bla, bla had been edited out.
  3. The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother
  4. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
  5. 12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup Read! (So sad! Cannot bear to watch the movie.)
  6. Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife by Eben Alexander  Read! Just OK. Plus after I read some claims that the book wasn’t entirely true, I lost faith.
  7. Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
  8. Practicing the Power of Now: Essential Teachings, Meditations, and Exercises From The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
  9. To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others by Daniel H. Pink
  10. The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino
  11. The Signature of All Things: A Novel by Elizabeth Gilbert Read! (Meh. I know…everyone loves it. I found it just OK)
  12. Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff
  13. The Bat: The First Inspector Harry Hole Novel by Jo Nesbo
  14. The Traveler’s Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success by Andy Andrews
  15. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
  16. Confessions of a Public Speaker by Scott Berkun
  17. Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin
  18. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams & Reaching Your Destiny by Robin Sharma
  19. The Buddha Walks into a Bar…: A Guide to Life for a New Generation by Lodro Rinzler
  20. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
  21. Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
  22. Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port
  23. Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn
  24. Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing by Harry Beckwith
  25. Red Hot and Holy: A Heretic’s Love Story by Sera Beak Read! So so.
  26. Do the Work by Steven Pressfield
  27. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen Covey (This is a re-read, but it’s one I think should be read annually.)
  28. Meditation – The Complete Guide: Techniques from East and West to Calm the Mind, Heal the Body, and Enrich the Spirit
  29. A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson Read. Good stuff. Bryson is a funny man. And I really want to hike the AT, so it was a particularly interesting read.
  30. The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin Read. Light and fun. It was sad and happy – all at once. Enjoyed it. Sometimes you just need a lovely, quick read and this fit that bill.

Plus 8 more titles coming from the Book Club I just joined (finally crossing another item off my 40×40 list), as well as 2 spots reserved for spontaneity. 2 spots…what?!? Well, you might guess that either something is getting scratched off this list by year’s end to make room for a new title, OR, I may just end up reading more than 38 books. We’ll see!

If you think I missed an incredible title, shoot me an email – Melissa at MelissaLombard dot com or visit the Coffee With a Stranger Facebook page and leave a comment.  OK, off to read now!

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