It seems that there is no such person who would not be disappointed in life. At such moments, all things around us are seen exclusively in gray tones, all bright colors and emotions dim and fade. Some are saved by friends, some by family, and some by their favorite job.
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We present to you books, after reading which you want to live , after which life will certainly return to its former colors. Read with pleasure!
Abdel Cellu "You changed my life"
It was this book that formed the basis of the famous French film “1+1” or “The Intouchables”. It tells the story of the fate of two people who managed to change each other: a rich aristocrat who, by the will of fate, became wheelchair-bound, and an emigrant who did not have a job.
This book is about an incredible friendship that can bring back zest for life and turn it upside down.
Diana Setterfield. "The Thirteenth Tale" (2006)
The author's debut book, which has been compared to the Brontë sisters, has a 3.96 rating on Goodreads. Kirkus Reviews called the novel a charming 21st century gothic. The work was awarded The Quill Award and ALA Alex Award.
Margaret Lee loves the classics, so when the famous modern writer Vida Winter invites her to become a biographer, the girl does not hide her surprise. The heroine finds herself in Vida's house, the Gothic atmosphere of which intricately highlights the secrets of the mistress.
Cover of the book “The Thirteenth Tale”: YouTube/Irina’s Book Blog
Fannie Flagg "Standing Under the Rainbow"
This is a work about a small town where all the residents know everything about each other. Moreover, this city is known throughout the country, because the woman who runs the city radio talks about it and its amazing life every day in her wonderful, seemingly smiling voice.
Through a whole cascade of human characters and their difficult destinies, the author shows that even in everyday life and routine you can find reasons for joy and happiness.
Ken Kesey "Sailor's Song"
Prepare to be immersed in the chilling world of Alaska. It is filled with gloominess, cold severity, the sea and human destinies that are unlikely to leave you indifferent.
You will certainly rise to a vibrant life and dazzling light, but first you will have to go through a grotesque world full of bilious sarcasm and angry humor.
Acknowledgments
I thank God for life and the opportunity to touch the pearls of timeless wisdom in the form of amazing philosophical treatises, sacred scriptures and eternal works of all times and peoples.
I thank my executive editor for her valuable recommendations, kindness, honesty, decency, humanity and hard editorial work.
I thank my wife Olenka for her patience, useful advice and practical assistance in writing this book.
I thank my beloved parents, my sister and all my friends for their invaluable help and support.
Thank you, dear reader, for your interest and will to pursue wisdom!
Low bow to you all!
Elinor Porter "Pollyanna"
Completely immersed in routine life, it is very difficult to see at least some joy in life. However, it is possible. This is exactly what the main character of the book, Pollyanna, shows. This girl lives by “playing for joy,” which turns the lives of many people in her town upside down. She opens their hearts to happiness and joy.
This book teaches that we all need to use the “game of joy” as often as possible in our lives and then we will not need any antidepressants.
"Citadel", Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
This book is the latest novel by a popular and world-famous writer. It was compiled by the author from a large number of notes, letters, and parts of diaries. It clearly shows the author’s opinion about man’s unshakable relationship with God, nature and other people. Thanks to his extensive life experience, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry came to the conclusion that the meaning of life lies in one’s home, homeland and loved ones. This is exactly what he writes about in his latest work, which is included in the list of the best books about the meaning of life.
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Ray Bradbury "A Cure for Melancholy"
The young girl Camilla slowly loses all her vitality and fades away right before her eyes. Not a single doctor can give her an accurate diagnosis and finally explain how to help the poor girl. A desperate family decides to place a bed with a sick woman on the street and ask all passers-by for advice. One mysterious gypsy finds the name of Camilla's illness - melancholy.
This book is about how the best cure for any illness is, of course, love...
Michel Houellebecq. "Platform" (2001)
The novel, which became one of the best of the 21st century according to Vulture, was rated 3.80 on Goodreads. The Independent's review says the book is full of forbidden erotic adventures. It is a manifesto against spiritual decline and political confrontation.
The hero, not seeing anything shameful in sex tourism, intends to open an Aphrodite club at each hotel of the Aurora corporation. There, guests will be able to receive any sexual services. Against this background, the hero’s romance with the girl Valerie develops.
Cover of the book “Platform”: YouTube/About books and more
Joanne Harris "Five Quarters of an Orange"
What should you do if you only inherited from your mother an album in which her culinary recipes were recorded? Despite the fact that much greater wealth passed into the hands of the remaining children. Of course, study it, and in great detail!
After all, a seemingly simple trinket can open the door to the past, can give the key to its mysteries and secrets.
Seven short lessons in physics, Carlo Rovelli
Carlo Rovelli is an Italian physicist who made major scientific contributions to the theory of quantum gravity.
He is also a brilliant popularizer. Like no one else, Rovelli knows how to explain complex things in simple language: what is time, space, quanta, why does the scientific world need a hadron collider?
Immediately after its release in Italy, this book broke sales records - in the author’s homeland it sold even better than the giant among bestsellers “50 Shades of Gray”!
So if you want to finally understand for yourself what modern physics is, and be able to briefly explain the main provisions of quantum theory in a smart company, the book is definitely for you.
What is this book about?
Rovelli's popular science work touches not only on scientific issues, but also easily and in simple language introduces the reader to the biographies of scientists and the circumstances of the emergence of the most popular physical hypotheses.
How did Einstein create his theory of relativity? How did quantum mechanics appear and which scientist is behind it? How is particle physics different from just physics?
There are quite accessible answers to all these questions in the book. But that’s not even the main thing.
Rovelli's work is intended primarily for those readers who do not have the slightest idea about physical science.
Like all the most popular books, it's like a first-grade textbook, but written for adults who can already read a little.
At the same time, the bottom line is that after reading this work you can feel several times smarter!
David Mitchell "Cloud Atlas"
Six different people, six different stories, only one common feature - the same birthmark. In the novel there is a place for fatal accidents, connecting destinies, good and evil, heroism and betrayal, and much more.
And as a result, the author’s reflection on humanity and its future comes out. And also about what the essence of people themselves is.
"Alone with myself. Reflections" by Marcus Aurelius
litres.ru
“In the morning, tell yourself in advance: I will meet the vain, the ungrateful, the impudent, the cunning, the greedy, the unsocial. All this happened to them out of ignorance of good and evil.” – Marcus Aurelius
This book needs no introduction. Plato once wrote that the world would be a better place if we were ruled by philosopher kings. And no man in history fits this description better than Marcus Aurelius.
Ruling the vast Roman Empire during turbulent times, Marcus had to maintain a positive attitude to hold onto the reins of power. The attack of the Parthians from the east, the Germanic tribes from the north, the plague that killed almost every Roman - Marcus Aurelius had to face many difficulties on his life's path. Fortunately, he professed the principles of Stoicism and had several techniques in his arsenal that he used in especially difficult times.
Reflections began as a personal journal in which Marcus Aurelius wrote down his daily thoughts, as well as motivational mantras for when he needed a dose of inspiration and motivation. His 12-book work was later republished, and even thousands of years after the death of its author, it continues to inspire the masses.
What will you learn
After reading Reflections, you will be introduced to a number of techniques and motivational quotes that will help you in difficult situations.
For example, Mark touches on the topic of communicating with people who make your life miserable: the philosopher suggests just forgetting about them. He also talks about how to stop worrying unnecessarily. Marcus Aurelius advises working on what you can control and putting the rest aside.
Wikipedia
In his work, Mark gives insight into many things. Fame, wealth and power are things you shouldn't chase. What is much more valuable is the support of self-esteem. “Keep this in every activity,” writes Marcus Aurelius. The philosopher also advocates remembering that each of us is just a small cog in the mechanism of the vast Universe, whose time will pass, as it did for billions of people before us.
Reflections is a book filled with nuggets of wisdom, each of which you can turn to when you need motivation. If these views helped the ruler of the largest empire in the ancient world, then they will probably work for you too.
The last thing you can take away from Reflections is the journaling method itself.
Writing down your thoughts day after day can have a healing effect and even significantly improve your mood by helping you gather your thoughts. see also
6 Buddha Quotes That Will Change the Way You See the World and Yourself
Jenny Downham "While I Live"
The main character is a sixteen-year-old girl who wants to live here and now, who wants to try so much in this life. That’s why she writes a whole list of wishes, which she immediately undertakes to fulfill. Some of the items on her list are dubious and not entirely innocent. But in general she is not like others.
She strives to complete everything as quickly as possible, because it is possible that she will not have time later...
Key books
Ray Dalio: “Principles. Life and work"
Practice, motivation, knowledge.
The book begins with the autobiography of the author, who is #67 on the Forbes global list and the founder of the most successful hedge fund in history. Ray Dalio's path has not been easy. At some point, he lost all his clients and colleagues and started building his company Bridgewater Associates from scratch, which currently manages more than $150 billion in assets.
Throughout his life, Ray Dalio analyzed the results of decisions made (his own and others) and, based on this data, formulated principles that help him achieve more in his personal and professional life. The principles are very specific, which gives the feeling that the author managed to understand many of the fundamental laws of our world.
Nassim Taleb: "Black Swan", "Antifragile", "Fooled by Chance", "Risking Your Own Skin"
Knowledge.
Nassim Taleb is my favorite author. Firstly, his books helped me get rid of many stereotypes and make healthier decisions in my career (time will tell, of course, but for now, the results are encouraging). Secondly, I like his style.
Each book by Nassim Taleb contains a key idea, which over the course of ≈400 pages is fascinatingly examined from different angles, in the process of which the author manages to reasonably ridicule several authorities and express a number of deep thoughts.
While reading, I alternate between laughing and thinking deeply. But the main thing is that the described philosophy helped the author earn good money. In other words, it has passed the reality check.
Daniel Kahneman: “Think slow...decide fast”
Knowledge.
Daniel Kahneman is one of the most famous psychologists in the world, whose book shows how often people make stupid mistakes in everyday situations. “Think Slowly... Decide Fast” is one of the few books that teaches you how to think rationally.
Yuval Noah Harari: “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind”, “Homo Deus. A Brief History of the Future"
Knowledge.
In the first book, the author tells how we got to where we are now. After reading it, the absurdity of many modern traditions and institutions is revealed. Since by understanding their origins, we can determine the cause-and-effect relationship of many modern things and, if necessary, free ourselves from their influence.
In the second, he reflects on the topic of where we can go (and who we can become). The author talks about modern research in the field of medicine, psychology, artificial intelligence and suggests where these discoveries can lead humanity. Some of the assumptions are very strong and thought-provoking.
Richard Dawkins: "The Selfish Gene"
Knowledge.
Dawkins is not easy to read and you shouldn’t expect to fully understand the material, but the main ideas about evolution are clear from the first chapters and are a good way to sober up the brain. Almost everyone knows about the theory of evolution, but thanks to this book, understanding becomes deeper and is immediately reflected in the perception of the world.
Tim Ferriss: "Tools of Titans", "Tribe of Mentors", "How to Work Four Hours a Week"
Practice, motivation.
Tim Ferriss is known to most readers thanks to the book “How to Work Four Hours a Week.” I even know people who were forced by this book to quit their jobs and start a personal project. Several years ago, this book also influenced me, telling me a lot about effective work (I didn’t work full time then, so I didn’t have much to give up).
Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors are completely different books. In them, the author collected answers from dozens of successful people from various fields to very thoughtful questions. For me, these books have become reference books, and I often return to them.
Arnold Schwarzenegger: Total Recall. My incredibly true story"
Motivation.
I remember the first time I saw this book in the list of recommendations of the designer Tobias van Schneider and thought that the story of a bodybuilder would teach me little. But over the course of several months, I regularly heard mentions of it from other successful people and decided to take a closer look at Arnold's story. Of course, I knew that in addition to bodybuilding, Arnold became a successful actor and governor of California, but I didn’t know how.
What is most impressive while reading is the author's dedication. At every stage of his life, he knew his goals, always thought ahead and tried to increase the likelihood of success in any of his endeavors.
His entrepreneurial approach and intelligence (Arnold was good at mathematics) are a great example of how people achieve meaningful results, despite the difficulties that stand in the way. Arnold is most associated with the word “success”, as he was able to achieve decent results in four different areas: sports, business, cinema and politics.
Kelly McGonigal: “Willpower. How to develop and strengthen"
Knowledge.
The author states that willpower is a muscle that can be trained and used correctly. And it is used not only during work, but also in everyday things, so its rational use is very important for a full life. The book helped me understand the causes of emotions and explained it from a scientific point of view.
Maxim Dorofeev: “Jedi techniques. How to raise your monkey, empty your inbox and save your mental fuel"
Practice.
I read a lot of books on productivity and at some point I started to dislike them all. But after numerous recommendations, I decided to read it and it turned out that Maxim managed to collect key knowledge on productivity under one cover, avoiding trivial thoughts.
The book discusses the planning of personal projects, the correct formulation of tasks and methods for their implementation. Maxim introduces the concept of “thought fuel,” which represents a person’s intellectual capabilities and teaches how to use it competently.
Brent Schlender, Rick Tetsley: "The Making of Steve Jobs"
Motivation.
I liked this book much more than the official biography of Isaacson (they say that Steve’s loved ones did too). It does not contain well-known stories about the development of Apple, but instead, the authors tell how the personality of Steve Jobs changed throughout his career.
Brent Schlender and Rick Tetsley show Steve Jobs in a much broader way than other book and film authors have done. It tells about the numerous mistakes in the development of the company that the Apple founder made and how he behaved in different situations.
Phil Knight: “Shoe salesman. The story of Nike as told by its founder"
Motivation.
In addition to the fact that it is always interesting to learn more about the history of the development of successful companies, there is something else in this book. Few people know that during the first years of his career, Phil Knight only resold Asian sneakers in the USA and, only after receiving a refusal to cooperate further, he decided on a new initiative, which many years later made him the founder of one of the most famous brands in the world. This is a very instructive and fascinating story.
Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson: “Rework. Business without prejudice", "It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work"
Practice.
Last week, I read the new book by the founders of Basecamp, It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work. It, like the previous ones, offers an alternative view on business development.
Instead of scaling up and changing the world, the authors suggest staying at a comfortable level that allows the business to gradually improve and the company's employees to live their lives outside the office (although most Basecamp employees work remotely).
The authors provide a lot of advice on organizing corporate culture, product management, effective work, communication with clients and company employees.
Joanne Harris "Blackberry Wine"
Did you know that wine can change your life? We don’t know how it is in life, but in Joanne Harris’ novel it is so. Jay McIntosh discovers six bottles of blackberry wine. Somehow they had survived from his childhood. The creator of this wine is a strange old man who once dramatically changed Jay’s life.
It is with this discovery of this unusual wine that changes begin in the life of the protagonist: the search for his place in the sun, the search for his talent, and, ultimately, the search for himself.
"Moral Letters to Lucilius" by Seneca
chitai-gorod.ru
“A great soul neglects the great and prefers moderate to excessive, for the first is useful and life-giving, the second is harmful because it is excessive.” – Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Lucius Annaeus Seneca lived in the 1st century AD, was a teacher and adviser to the Roman emperor Nero, who went crazy. Seneca is one of the largest representatives of Stoicism. The philosopher preached that we must maintain our dignity by remaining humble and not allowing the winds of fate to dictate our destiny.
Wikipedia
The Moral Letters to Lucilius are, as the title suggests, a series of letters that Seneca addressed to his contemporary, the procurator of Sicily. The presented messages to Lucilius speak about many of life's problems, and also present Seneca's philosophical reflections on how to live according to the principles of Stoicism.
What will you learn
You will learn to enjoy the process of learning and gaining wisdom. As you read the philosopher's work, you will discover that living a good life does not mean being rich and famous. It means staying humble, working hard and living your destiny with dignity and overcoming life's obstacles.
Many of Seneca's lessons address problems we face in everyday life. One of the philosopher's pieces of advice is as simple as it is vital. It is as follows: for a full life, it is not its duration that is important, but its quality. You shouldn't regret life when you're on your deathbed.
Life won't seem short if you live it wisely. “If you hold today in your hands, you will depend less on tomorrow. Otherwise, while you put it off, your whole life will fly by,” writes Seneca. If you stick to this thought, you will always know how to behave in any situation.
Dmitry Khara "P.Sh."
At the center of the story is Oleg, who has his own business, for which he works tirelessly. However, his long-awaited vacation is coming soon. He finds a strange travel agency that offers travel, but only for people prepared for it. Oleg agrees, but preparations for the trip leave him in a state of shock. He is forced to do something he has never done and take on roles he has never played before. And all this in reality.
All the preparation generally benefits Oleg, but unexpectedly he puts his life in great danger...
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What does Eastern wisdom say about man and woman?
The scribe of the Assyrian king Sennacherib Ahiakar gives the following thoughts about the feminine essence:
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Many have been ruined by female beauty, for the love of a beautiful woman is like a scorching flame.
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The true beauty of a woman lies in the meekness of her character, and her charm lies in the meekness of her speech.
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Never take part in a woman's betrothal, because if she has a bad time, she will curse you, and if she has a good time, she will not even remember you.
Ahiakara quote about a woman: NUR.KZ
The Chinese philosopher Confucius spoke excellently about men in his book “The Wittest Aphorisms and Quotes”:
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While young men live under their father’s roof, their first duty is to respect their parents, but when they leave their father’s house, their duty becomes to show respect to their elders, to cultivate sincerity in themselves, which will give rise to trust in them, and to practice philanthropy.
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Flowery speech, sweet appearance, excessive obsequiousness - these are the three human qualities that the sage of the principality Lu Zuo Qiuming calls vicious.
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He who is gifted with virtues undoubtedly also possesses the gift of eloquence, but he who possesses the gift of eloquence is not always gifted with virtues; A man who loves mankind has courage, but courage does not always go hand in hand with love of mankind.
