Oh…the sun is shining, the grass is greening, the flowers are blooming & the birds are chirping!! These lovely warm days make me want to sit in a quiet sunny spot & read & read & read! And so it’s time once again to throw out a few book ideas…should you need one. Behold, Coach Michelle’s 2024 Spring Reading List! If you decide to read one…I’d love to hear your thoughts!
1. How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence, Michael Pollan
I’ll start with the big one. This book blew my mind (pun totally intended). As a kid raised in the height of the 1970’s War on Drugs, I grew up thinking that psychedelics (mushrooms, LSD) were evil-incarnate. Several years ago, I heard Michael Pollan interviewed about this book & I took note. I’ve read several of his books on food – The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto & Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation – and loved each of them. However, I still had that voice in my head saying that psychedelics are awful, addictive, evil substances…and so I declined to read this book. But times they are a’changin’…and sometimes it takes something personal to open our minds to new ways of thinking. This happened for me when I was directly involved in helping a loved one die. During those difficult days I remembered Pollan’s interview comments about psychedelics & their potential positive impact on those who are dying. I decided to read the book & I have learned so much.
2. Built from Broken: A Science-Based Guide to Healing Painful Joints, Preventing Injuries, and Rebuilding Your Body, Scott Hogan
Are you over 30 yrs old? Do you exercise? Are you an athlete? Do you experience joint aches & pains? If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, this is YOUR book! As I read this book, I found myself saying “Right on!”, “Absolutely!” to every other sentence!! This book is all about how full range joint mobility, excellent posture, ease of movement & exercise focused on ligaments/tendon health can keep you strong & functional well into your final decade. Remember…if you are injured and/or experience chronic pain, you’ve already started chipping away at your healthspan (to use Peter Attia’s terminology). So, get to moving & rebuild that body!
3. Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within, Kenny Werner
While this is a book directed at musicians, I found plenty of great info for athletes within its pages. Kenny Werner asserts that the fundamental aspect of playing music is “play”. Yet most musicians (and athletes) are hindered by self-consciousness, apprehension, self-doubt &s tress…all of which decrease our enjoyment & increase the difficulty. Using wonderful stories & examples, Werner takes the reader through a series of exercises designed to bring out the fun & joy of playing music…and sport!
4. Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl
As a Nazi death camp survivor, Viktor Frankl’s world view is unique. Faced day after day with humanity’s worst atrocities, he found meaning & purpose in his ability to cope & ultimately move forward. As a psychiatrist he developed the theory of logotherapy which states that the primary human drive is not pleasure, but the search to find meaning in life. He suggests that we find meaning in three ways:
- In Work – Doing something significant.
- In Love – Caring for another person.
- In Courage – The way in which we respond to the suffering of others.
Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation. You cannot control what happens to you in life, but you can always control what you will feel and do about what happens to you. Viktor Frankl
5. All Creatures Great and Small, James Herriot
Because reading #4 was so emotionally challenging…I opted to offset it with something much lighter. If you like the PBS shows – the new as well as the original – you’ll LOVE this book. And as I read it, I realized that the original series was adapted almost word-for-word from it. These heart-warming stories detail the daily interactions of a rural Yorkshire veterinarian with his animal patients & their eclectic owners. Many are hilariously funny, some are inspirational, all are wonderful! If you’re looking for a light, fun, fast read…this is it!
To see all of my reading lists, check out: