A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! AS HEARD ON NPR MORNING EDITION AND ON BEING WITH KRISTA TIPPETT “Katherine May opens up exactly what I and so many need to hear but haven't known how to name.” —Krista Tippett, On Being “Every bit as beautiful and healing as the season itself. . . . This is truly a beautiful book.” —Elizabeth Gilbert "Proves that there is grace in letting go, stepping back and giving yourself time to repair in the dark...May is a clear-eyed observer and her language is steady, honest and accurate—capturing the sense, the beauty and the latent power of our resting landscapes." —Wall Street Journal An intimate, revelatory book exploring the ways we can care for and repair ourselves when life knocks us down. Sometimes you slip through the cracks: unforeseen circumstances like an abrupt illness, the death of a loved one, a break up, or a job loss can derail a life. These periods of dislocation can be lonely and unexpected. For May, her husband fell ill, her son stopped attending school, and her own medical issues led her to leave a demanding job. Wintering explores how she not only endured this painful time, but embraced the singular opportunities it offered. A moving personal narrative shot through with lessons from literature, mythology, and the natural world, May's story offers instruction on the transformative power of rest and retreat. Illumination emerges from many sources: solstice celebrations and dormice hibernation, C.S. Lewis and Sylvia Plath, swimming in icy waters and sailing arctic seas. Ultimately Wintering invites us to change how we relate to our own fallow times. May models an active acceptance of sadness and finds nourishment in deep retreat, joy in the hushed beauty of winter, and encouragement in understanding life as cyclical, not linear. A secular mystic, May forms a guiding philosophy for transforming the hardships that arise before the ushering in of a new season.
"Rest is such a valuable book. If work is our national religion, Pang is the philosopher reintegrating our bifurcated selves."---Arianna Huffington, New York Times Book Review Overwork is the new normal. Rest is something to do when the important things are done—but they are never done. Looking at different forms of rest, from sleep to vacation, Silicon Valley futurist and business consultant Alex Soojung-Kim Pang dispels the myth that the harder we work the better the outcome. He combines rigorous scientific research with a rich array of examples of writers, painters, and thinkers—from Darwin to Stephen King—to challenge our tendency to see work and relaxation as antithetical. "Deliberate rest," as Pang calls it, is the true key to productivity, and will give us more energy, sharper ideas, and a better life. Rest offers a roadmap to rediscovering the importance of rest in our lives, and a convincing argument that we need to relax more if we actually want to get more done.
We live in a 24/7 culture of endless productivity, workaholism, distraction, burnout, and anxiety--a way of life to which we've sadly grown accustomed. This tired system of "life" ultimately destroys our souls, our bodies, our relationships, our society, and the rest of God's creation. The whole world grows exhausted because humanity has forgotten to enter into God's rest. This book pioneers a creative path to an alternative way of existing. Combining creative storytelling, pastoral sensitivity, practical insight, and relevant academic research, Subversive Sabbath offers a unique invitation to personal Sabbath-keeping that leads to fuller and more joyful lives. A. J. Swoboda demonstrates that Sabbath is both a spiritual discipline and a form of social justice, connects Sabbath-keeping to local communities, and explains how God may actually do more when we do less. He shows that the biblical practice of Sabbath-keeping is God's plan for the restoration and healing of all creation. The book includes a foreword by Matthew Sleeth.
Trayvon Martin’s parents take readers beyond the news cycle with an account only they could give: the intimate story of a tragically foreshortened life and the rise of a movement. “A reminder—not only of Trayvon’s life and death but of the vulnerability of black lives in a country that still needs to be reminded they matter.”—USA Today Now a docuseries on the Paramount Network produced by Shawn Carter Years after his tragic death, Trayvon Martin’s name is still evoked every day. He has become a symbol of social justice activism, as has his hauntingly familiar image: the photo of a child still in the process of becoming a young man, wearing a hoodie and gazing silently at the camera. But who was Trayvon Martin, before he became, in death, an icon? And how did one black child’s death on a dark, rainy street in a small Florida town become the match that lit a civil rights crusade? Rest in Power, told through the compelling alternating narratives of his parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, answers those questions from the most intimate of sources. The book takes us beyond the news cycle and familiar images to give the account that only his parents can offer: the story of the beautiful and complex child they lost, the cruel unresponsiveness of the police and the hostility of the legal system, and an inspiring journey from grief and pain to power, and from tragedy and senselessness to purpose.
"Sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life, wellness, and longevity ... An explosion of scientific discoveries in the last twenty years has shed new light on this fundamental aspect of our lives. Now ... neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker gives us a new understanding of the vital importance of sleep and dreaming"--Amazon.com.
The New York Times bestselling author of Wintering writes a life-affirming exploration of wild landscapes, what it means to be different and, above all, how we can all learn to make peace with our own unquiet minds . . . In anticipation of her 38th birthday, Katherine May set out to walk the 630-mile South West Coast Path. She wanted time alone, in nature, to understand why she had stopped coping with everyday life; why motherhood had been so overwhelming and isolating; and why the world felt full of expectations she couldn't meet. She was also reeling from a chance encounter with a voice on the radio that sparked her realisation that she might be autistic. And so begins a trek along the ruggedly beautiful but difficult path by the sea that takes readers through the alternatingly frustrating, funny, and enlightening experience of re-awakening to the world around us… The Electricity of Every Living Thing sees Katherine come to terms with that diagnosis leading her to re-evaluate her life so far — with a much kinder, more forgiving eye. We bear witness to a new understanding that finally allows her to be different rather than simply awkward, arrogant or unfeeling. The physical and psychological journeys of this joyous and inspiring book become inextricably entwined, and as Katherine finds her way across the untameable coast, we learn alongside her how to find our way back to our own true selves.
From one of our boldest, most celebrated new literary voices, a novel about a young woman's efforts to duck the ills of the world by embarking on an extended hibernation with the help of one of the worst psychiatrists in the annals of literature and the battery of medicines she prescribes Our narrator should be happy, shouldn't she? She's young, thin, pretty, a recent Columbia graduate, works an easy job at a hip art gallery, lives in an apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan paid for, like the rest of her needs, by her inheritance. But there is a dark and vacuous hole in her heart, and it isn't just the loss of her parents, or the way her Wall Street boyfriend treats her, or her sadomasochistic relationship with her best friend, Reva. It's the year 2000 in a city aglitter with wealth and possibility; what could be so terribly wrong? My Year of Rest and Relaxation is a powerful answer to that question. Through the story of a year spent under the influence of a truly mad combination of drugs designed to heal our heroine from her alienation from this world, Moshfegh shows us how reasonable, even necessary, alienation can be. Both tender and blackly funny, merciless and compassionate, it is a showcase for the gifts of one of our major writers working at the height of her powers.
"Life is full of major decisions. How do you know which house you should buy, who you should marry, or what job you should take? If you are going to be successful, you need a strategy. But how do you make a strategy when you don't have all the answers? God's secrets are hidden for you, not from you. God wants you to have the answers you need, and that's why He gave you a secret weapon! In the third installment of the Your Financial Revolution series, Gary Keesee reveals one of the most significant components of his success and a CRITICAL secret to the Kingdom of God: The Power of Strategy! Anyone can catch fish if they know where to cast their nets. God has the answers you need, but you have to understand how to hear those answers and apply them to your life- and that's what this book is all about." -- Amazon.com
Do you want to stop worrying about money and start having more fun? Do you wish you had more time to spend with family and friends? Do you want to live the life you always envisioned? Then it's time for your Power Years. The Power Years is your step-by-step guide to repowerment and personal reinvention after forty. In this unique guidebook, world-renowned psychologist and leading authority on aging Ken Dychtwald and award-winning journalist Daniel J. Kadlec combine their decades of cutting-edge research and reporting to reveal how you can make the Power Years the best years of your life—by far. As we baby boomers move into the next stage of life, we now have the opportunity to experience a mold-shattering period of reinvention and personal growth, career liberation, nourishing relationships, and financial freedom. The Power Years helps us envision and embrace this new chapter of life as we develop a carefully thought-out plan for personal fulfillment. Sharing the inspiring stories of fascinating people as well as plenty of prescriptive advice, the authors reveal how you can: Rediscover your life's purpose Find a new balance between satisfying work and enjoyable leisure Thrive in the home and location of your dreams Rekindle long-held passions and/or find new interests Rediscover and forge vital relationships Keep your financial life running smoothly Contribute to society and leave a lasting legacy Have fun again! From staying connected with your kids, family, and friends to going back to school for the fun and challenge of it, from finding new companions to volunteering, from exploring a new career to traveling the world, The Power Years is your complete road map to living your best possible life—right now. The Power Years is a step-by-step guide to repowerment and personal reinvention after forty. In this unique guidebook, Ken Dychtwald and Daniel J. Kadlec combine their decades of cutting-edge research and reporting to reveal how readers can make the Power Years the best years of their lives. The Power Years helps readers envision and embrace this new chapter of life as they develop a carefully thought-out plan for personal fulfillment. Sharing inspiring stories of fascinating people and plenty of prescriptive advice, the authors reveal how to rediscover life’s purpose, find a balance between work and leisure, rediscover and forge vital relationships, keep finances running smoothly, and more. The Power Years is a complete road map to living the best possible life–right now. "My life keeps getting better, not just because I've enjoyed success in the business world, but because I wake up every day with a passion for what I do. You can—and should—discover that feeling too. Let Dychtwald and Kadlec show you how. They've written a crisp, actionable guide to a great rest of your life." —Donald J. Trump, Chairman of Trump Enterprises and author of Trump: Think Like a Billionaire: Everything You Need to Know About Success, Real Estate, and Life "The Power Years, brimming with insights culled from decades of leading-edge research, turns conventional notions of retirement upside down. This upbeat, thoroughly enjoyable book will help you both envision and fund your dreams. Truly, it's a 'user's guide to the rest of your life.'" —Jane Bryant Quinn, author of Making the Most of Your Money "Are you going to live longer—or will it just feel like it? The Power Years is a wonderful guidebook that helps us realize our potential by redefining our expectations as we mature and grow more powerful. An exceptional resource for anyone ready for a new view of their coming decades." —Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., Professor of Surgery at Columbia University and author of YOU: The Owner's Manual: An Insider's Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger “For anyone beginning the second half of life, The Power Years will psyche you up for the great adventure ahead.” --Po Bronson, author of What Should I Do With My Life? “In the field of ‘middlescence,’ as he calls it, Ken Dychtwald is the master. I count on his brilliance, his pioneering ideas, his courage, and his optimism and we would all be poorer without him. I recommend The Power Years without reservation. It is a must read.” --Richard N. Bolles, author of What Color is Your Parachute? “I have been learning from Ken Dychtwald for years and am convinced that he is today's most original thinker on this important subject.” --President Jimmy Carter “While powerful and complex currents of demographic change are sweeping the globe, little has been said about what the post-World War II generation wants from later life. In The Power Years, Dychtwald and Kadlec provide a well-informed and optimistic roadmap for how this new chapter of life need not be a period of retreat and decline, but instead holds the potential for becoming a time of renewal and personal reinvention.” --Sir John Bond, Chairman of HSBC Holdings plc “If you want to make your future years the best years ever--to feel ageless and experience a dynamic, purposeful, joyful, and full life--read The Power Years.” --Mark Victor Hansen, co-creator of the #1 New York Times bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul series and coauthor of The One Minute Millionaire “Ken Dychtwald and Daniel J. Kadlec have written a fantastic book filled with compelling data and anecdotes that show that the so-called declining years are anything but. The Power Years helped rid me of much of my worry about what lies ahead and gave me specific, solid ideas for how to make the next 50 years top the first 50 for financial success, career satisfaction, and overall fun.” --James J. Cramer, author of Jim Cramer's Real Money: Sane Investing in an Insane World, CNBC commentator, and cofounder of TheStreet.com