Walpole Unitarian Church
Our Book Discussion News...
It's a great time of year to curl up with a book!
Our June selection is "No Mud, No Lotus," by Thich Nhat Hanh.
From Goodreads:
​The secret to happiness is to acknowledge and transform suffering, not to run away from it. In No Mud, No Lotus, Thich Nhat Hanh offers practices and inspiration for transforming suffering and finding true joy. Thich Nhat Hanh acknowledges that because suffering can feel so bad, we try to run away from it or cover it up by consuming. We find something to eat or turn on the television. But unless we’re able to face our suffering, we can’t be present and available to life, and happiness will continue to elude us. Nhat Hanh shares how the practices of stopping, mindful breathing, and deep concentration can generate the energy of mindfulness within our daily lives. With that energy, we can embrace pain and calm it down, instantly bringing a measure of freedom and a clearer mind. No Mud, No Lotus introduces ways to be in touch with suffering without being overwhelmed by it. With his signature clarity and sense of joy, Thich Nhat Hanh helps us recognize the wonders inside us and around us that we tend to take for granted and teaches us the art of happiness.
If anyone is interested in joining us or wants more information, feel free to contact Pam Blair pamelynblair@msn.com or Christine Benson christine@bensonwood.com.
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Thinking of joining us?
We'd love to have you?
For info or questions about joining the book club, please contact:
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Pam Blair
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Please check out our new spiritual/inspirational book library at the back of the church! We have copies of lots of the books we have read, all set for you to borrow.
If anyone sees a book they are interested in that we have read but don't see it there, please contact a book club member and we'll get you a copy to borrow!
The idea of the book group came from a request that was made of our previous minister Rev. Telos when asked about some of her favorite books to read. Here is the list she provided. The list was a jumping off point for this discussion group, an idea that had floated around previously many times. Thanks to Pam and Christine, it became a reality!
Our Bookshelf thus far:
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“The Book Woman's Daughter," by Kim Michele Richardson
No Mud, No Lotus," By Thich Nhat Hanh
"The Devil in the White City,” by Erik Larson
"Evil Geniuses," by Kurt Andersen
"The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek," by Kim Michele Richardson.
Indigenous Peoples History of the United States," by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
"The Book of Longings," Sue Monk Kidd
"The Tyranny of Merit," by Michael Sandel
“The Splendid and the Vile,” by Erik Larson
"The Story of More," by Hope Jahren
"Migrations," by Charlotte McConaghy,"
"Caste," by Isabel Wilkerson
"On Earth we are Briefly Gorgeous," by Ocean Vuong
The Woman's Hour," Elaine Weiss
"The Biology of Belief," by Bruce Lipton
"The Girl with Seven Names," by Hyeonseo Lee
"Welcoming the Unwelcome," by Pema Chodron
"The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry," by Rachael Joyce
"Radical Acceptance: Embracing your life with the heart of the Buddha " by Tara Brach
"Educated," by Tara Westover
"Waking Up White," by Debby Irving
"Women Rowing North," by Mary Pipher
"News of the World: A Novel," by Paulette Jiles
"Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong," by John O'Donohue
"Becoming," by Michelle Obama
"Fascism," Madeleine Albright"
"On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, and Getting Old," by Parker J. Palmer
"The Boys in the Boat,' by Daniel Brown
"Braiding Sweetgrass," By Robin Wall Kimmerer.
"Cutting for Stone," By Abraham Verghese
"The Book of Joy," By His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
"On Being Mortal," by Atul Gawande
“The Hidden Lives of Trees," by Peter Wholleben.
"Population 485: Meeting your neighbors one Siren at a Time," by Michael Perry.
"Becoming Wise: an Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living,”
by Krista Tippett
"The Warmth of Other Suns," by Isabel Wilkerson
"Healing the Heart of Democracy," by Parker Palmer
“Learning to Fall: Blessings of an Imperfect Life,” by Phillip Simmons"
"Goddesses Never Age," by Dr. Christiane Northrup
"Living Beautifully," by Pema Chodron
“Dinner with Buddha,” by Roland Merullo.
“The Concord Quartet: Alcott, Emerson, Hawthorne, Thoreau, and the Friendship That Freed the American Mind,” by Samuel A. Schreiner Jr
“A New Earth: Awakening to your life’s purpose,” by Eckhart Tolle.
“Gift from the Sea,” by Anne Morrow Lindberg.
“The Future of God A Practical Approach to Spirituality for Our Times,”
by Deepak Chopra.
“Small Victories,” by Anne LaMott.
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Books on Rev. Elaine's list of recommendations:
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“Never Far From Home: Stories from the Radio Pulpit,” by Carl Scovel
“Man’s Search for Meaning,” by Victor Frankl
“Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time ,” by Marcus Borg
“Original Self: Living with Paradox and Originality,” by Thomas Moore
“Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence — and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process,” by Irene Pepperberg
“The Wheel of Life: A Memoir of Living and Dying,” by Dr. Elisabeth Kübler Ross
“Passport to Magonia: From Folklore to Flying Saucers,” by Jacques Vallee
“The Case for God,” by Karen Armstrong
“How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals,”by Sy Montgomery
“The Star Thrower,” by Loren Eiseley
“The Left Hand of Darkness,” by Ursula K. LeGuin
“Nonviolence: The History of a Dangerous Idea,” by Mark Kurlansky
“Finite and Infinite Games: A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility,”by James Carse
“Healing the Soul of America: Reclaiming Our Voices as Spiritual Citizens,”
by Marianne Williamson
“It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It,” by Robert Fulghum
"Lifecraft: The art of Meaning in the Everyday," by Forrest Church
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Rev. Telos's list:
“Learning to Fall: Blessings of an Imperfect Life,” by Phillip Simmons
“Living by the Word,” by Alice Walker
“Think on These Things,” by Kirshnamurti
“How Good Do We have To Be?” by Harold Kushner
“Crossing Open Ground,” by Barry Lopez
“On That Day Everybody Ate,” by Margaret Trost
“Black Elk Speaks,” by Neihardt
“Turning to One Another,” by Margaret Wheatley
“Final Gifts,” by Maggie Callanan
“The Art of Dying,” by Patricia Weenolsen
“Plan B - Further Thoughts on Faith,” by Anne Lamott
“Germinal,” by Emile Zola
“Blessed Unrest,” by Paul Hawken
“The Dream of the Earth,” by Thomas Berry
“Eternal Echoes,” by John O’Donohue
“Everything Belongs,” by Richard Rohr
“Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” by Jean-Dominique Bauby
