8littlebookshelves

Now, before I start on this book list, I want you to know that I'm not a super spiritual person. A more fitting term would be that I'm interested in anything philosophical and psychological, which includes personal growth, the meaning of life, new experience, new views, self-reflection and so on. By this path I do enjoy spiritual books and there are indeed some great ones out there. Here I'd like to introduce you to my Top 10 of my favorite spiritual books  – fiction and non-fiction. 10. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, non-fiction A classic within the genre of spiritual books: Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment presents itself as a discussion about how people interact with themselves and others. The concept of self reflection and presence in the moment are presented along with simple exercises for the achievement of its principles. The book is very powerful, universal, very relatable and so important for our modern times. It of...

  His novel The City and Its Uncertain Walls , published in the spring of 2023 in his native tongue and not yet translated into English, is speculated to be the "next big thing" in literature (The German translation, published Januarz 2024 is already a bestseller). His collection of short stories called First Person Singular , published in 2021, also became an instant success. The author, Haruki Murakami, is world-famous and has been writing fiction for over 50 years, including a number of bestsellers. Over a dozen novels are published under his name and he has won highly-valued awards for his works. So, who is Haruki Murakami and what makes his books so special? About the Author Haruki Murakami, born in 1949 in Kyōto, is a renowned Japanese novelist, short-story writer, and translator, known for his deeply imaginative and often ambiguous works that have achieved international acclaim. Murakami's early novels, including Hear the Wind Sing (1979) and Pinball, 1973 (1980)...

  It's been heading the bestseller lists for a while now: The third volume of the Crescent City saga, House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas. Rightly so? Here is my very personal view on the book (no spoilers) ... The preceding book, House of Sky and Breath, left me hanging on a cliff with its tantalizing conclusion. So, naturally, I approached House of Flame and Shadow with a mix of anticipation and trepidation. Yet, from the moment I delved into its pages, I was captivated, reminded of the sheer joy of immersing myself in a compelling story. Without delving into spoilers, let me just say that House of Flame and Shadow surpassed all my expectations for Maas's interconnected universe. The crossover elements were seamlessly integrated, offering delightful nods to familiar characters and expanding the rich tapestry of lore. While some may find the world-building exposition overwhelming, I relished every morsel of information. And let's be honest, if readers can endure ...

In the USA, the First Amendment protects a person's freedom of speech and protects books from being censured. Most European Countries have similar laws. However, there are in fact some books that are illegal to sell, buy and own. Then there are those books - mostly very controversial ones - where people call for them to be banned. One example would be The Kindly Ones by Jonathan Littell, which I am currently reading (Feb. 2024). The controversy around this novel caused me to dive into the subject of banning books.   What got me curious - The Kindly Ones by Jonathan Littell To start off, I´d like to introduce this piece of fiction and its content. The lengthy novel (975 pages in my edition) was published in 2006 and immediately raised a heated debate about whether this is a book appropriate to print and distribute, which helped spread its popularity - it did become a bestseller. Quite a number of critics and other people have called for The Kindly Ones to be banned. So, what is i...