On my bedside table…

…a few of the things by my bedside table of late…

Fascinating, well researched and totally compelling – The Brain That Changes Itself  sparks a deep admiration for the potential of our brains and makes me want to use it…go discover this book…

“Breakout!” is a lovely e-book by artist Brit Hammer. It goes hand in hand with her other book “Mosaics: Finding Your Voice” which is one of the most well thumbed books in my studio. It is full of delicious photos of contemporary mosaics and lots of sound advice and encouragement for developing your creative business (be that mosaics or other forms).

The collection of autobiographical stories by midwife, Jennifer Worth, that form the basis of the BBC TV drama series “Call the Midwife”. True stories of birth, parenting, suffering and overcoming in poverty stricken post-war London. Some of the stories are deeply disturbing – institutional brutality, debilitating poverty and forced separation of children from their mothers. It has led to some interesting breakfast table discussions with my children about workhouses, how we respond to poverty and racism. It reminds me that most of the time, we have no idea what people have been through – so many silent stories being carried around…

Strange Bodies is a piece of fiction that plays with the possibility that our conscious self can exist beyond our death – in another body. Weird concept but one that allows the author, Marcel Theroux, to play with ideas of what makes a human – are we just bodies, the sum total of our thoughts and memories…or more? Some of the passages were worthy of getting out the highlighter pen such was the philosophical meatyness of them and I found that the main character and story still resounded in me several weeks after the book finished.

Pema Chodron is a buddhist nun and will need little introduction for many.  I watched this interview with her in the autumn and found it a great help in untangling those situations where your buttons get pressed (know what I mean?!). Taking the Leap is an empowering little book which gives you a practical approach to help you slow down your reactions, not be frightened of them but instead to find a healthy way through them.

And this one arrived on our doorstep a couple of weeks ago – a gift from the author, John Dougherty who is an old friend and godfather to our daughter. I read the first chapter and told John that I found it ‘compelling‘ (quote for the next back cover?!). More importantly, Isabella (8) devoured the whole thing cover to cover and asked John when the next one was coming out! This book was named  The Times Children’s Book of the Week 2 weekends ago – get a copy for the little people in your life here.