book talk: spiritual/philosophical memoirs

In the midst of all the other books I'm reading (or, ahem, am supposed to be reading...I'm looking at you, Guide to College Writing Assessment!), I have begun yet another. It is what I would call a spiritual/philosophical memoir. I guess. Jake and I are reading this new book together:

So far, it is a very engaging read. The author's style is thoughtful, in a rambling-sort-of-way, and he avoids getting too deep about ontological ideas by throwing only glancing blows at them. And then, a seemingly absurd mention of hamburgers. Or beetles. It turns out, it's a cheeky journey through philosophy and spirituality that lands strategically-placed declarations woven together with witty banter between the author and imagined college philosophy professors. So far, pretty good. 

I can't talk about spiritual memoirs, though, without giving a shout out to my favorites--books that have taken me on a journey, with their writers, through unknowing and finding, through encounters with mystery, through sacred personal experiences.

 Travelling Mercies by Anne Lamott is honest, irreverent and hilarious. Her un-religious experience with Jesus feels refreshing and, well, real. I can't ever recommend this book enough. 

Another funny, smart and interesting journey is Elizabeth Gilbert's in Eat, Pray, Love. I use excerpts from this whenever I teach a unit on memoir, because it's broken into highly digestible chunks, and because it's so darn good. 

I've never liked the title of Lauren Winner's Girl Meets God. In fact, I pretty much cringe every time I say it. Not like it's a necessarily bad title, but because I don't think it encapsulates--or even gives an idea as to--the depth of honesty and intellectual complexity of Winner's journey from agnostic to Orthodox Jew to Protestant Christian. Also, contrary to what the title might imply, it's not written for an only-female audience. Everyone can, and should, read this book. 

I could probably go on and on (Thomas Merton! Sara Miles!, Dorothy Sayers!), but I'll end with another brilliant writing-mind: Annie Dillard. Holy the Firm made me cry, smirk, ponder, and smile. It is poetry and memoir and spiritual journey all in one. I recommend this one to anyone who isn't sure if they like poetry, or to anyone who wants fodder for contemplation.

What about you? Do you have any favorite spiritual/philosophical memoirs? Lay 'em on me!

book talk: craving simplicity

Today, I wanna talk about what I want to read when I can't think anymore. Well, aside from magazines and cocktails menus, I mean.

This week has been A-mazingly busy...and it's Tuesday. I have about a million things to do in the next couple of days, though! And, if you know me, you know that just the thought of potential duties, chores, games, activities can make me exhausted.

When I'm mentally drained, all I wanna do is lay on my stomach on the bed and flip through a shiny magazine. But, in my more intellectual moments, I want to read calm, rational thoughts from smart, poetic people. It also helps if the covers of the books can be calming.

...like this compilation of contemplative writings by the likes of Thomas Merton and Annie Dillard. It even feeds my escapist fantasies with the travel metaphor!  Ah, I feel calmer already.

Or, I could just kick back, close my eyes, and listen to an Annie Dillard novel. This one caught my eye, though I still need to read Pilgrim at Tinker Creek.

What about you? What do you like to read when you're too mentally exhausted to think?