We’ve combed the Internet—and our bookshelves—for some great reading. This weekend we’re thinking about reading and empathy, first impressions, the relationship between fantasy and reality, and book groups. We’ve included some poetry and book recommendations, too.
Read More
Based on the success of our eighteen-day initiative earlier this year, we launch our monthly mindful reading series as a springboard to think about, and to practice, compassion, empathy, and awareness—of ourselves and of the world we live in. Reading mindfully allows us a few quiet minutes in the day to focus on something different, something literary or artful. Won’t you join us this week, and share your thoughts and reactions to Anton Chekhov’s short story, “The Princess”?
Read More
In January, we experimented with something new. We at Books@Work and a number of volunteers who subscribed for this special series undertook to read a story, an essay or a poem every day for about three weeks. Intended as a springboard to think about mindfulness and to practice compassion, empathy and awareness (of ourselves and of the world we live in) the readings enabled—if nothing else—a few quiet minutes in the day to focus on something different, something literary or artful. Reading mindfully, we hypothesized, might be a way to decompress and engage our minds, with thought and deliberation. Here are our observations, plus a sampling of what we read.
Read More
Looking for something to read this weekend? Our suggestions on the history and analysis of the Book-of-the-Month Club, a new (and healthier) kind of vending machine, a walk along the Thames, the mathematics of the modernist novel, the key to creative success, and more.
Read More
Last week, we explored how Books@Work chooses books for our programs: we begin from the philosophy that narratives are fundamental to human inquiry and communication; we look for books that portray deeply resonant stories, knowing that our participants will both learn from them and be inspired to share their own; and we work with faculty members and participants in all of our book selections.
To date, we’ve taught more than 200 books, and we’ve found that every book inspires unique insights into each other and the human condition—and of course the book itself.
Read More
What’s a story? In response to that question, many of us might think of a tale with a beginning, middle and an end, or maybe a literary classic of short fiction like Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” or Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl.”
But stories exist beyond the page. They’re part of our everyday repertoire for coping with existence.
One way to define the term “story” is any attempt—written, told, or perhaps most commonly and powerfully, thought—to impose a narrative on life.
Read More
In cultivating compassion, empathy and an appreciation for the world, mindfulness practice powerfully overlaps with the benefits of reading. After all, a New School Study recently demonstrated that reading – especially literary fiction – makes readers more empathetic. Reading deeply requires for a moment that we enter into another person’s head, and when we read fiction we enter the minds of characters who are often vastly different from ourselves. Learning about another’s perspective or point of view has the potential to profoundly shape us and our interactions with the world. Reading, in this sense, is an opportunity to practice deep and compassionate listening.
We are so convinced of the parallels between reading and sharing a great text and mindfulness practice, that we invite you to share an experiment with us. Participating in a mindfulness seminar or meditating every morning are not the only ways to focus on the moment, engage in compassion and connect with the beauty of the world. You can also read – and you can read with us.
Read More
We review, in short, some of the best material we’ve come across in the past week. We’ve got an award-winning short story, the story behind the KIND bar, a literary parody, an audiobook–and a round up of some favorite links.
Read More
In this week’s Required Reading, Jessica tells us about the new anthology ‘Rust Belt Chic’ and Ann discusses ‘New American Stories,’ while Cecily cites a few articles on the health and brain benefits of walking. We share some of our favorite historic footage released by the AP, discuss a favorite television show, and share a fantastic recent article on the liberal arts in tech.
Read More
From time-to-time we share the link to a short story with some guiding questions or reflections on how the text was used in a Books@Work seminar. Former Books@Work Curriculum Director and professor Paul Jaussen invites you to take a closer look at a short story by Mark Twain in this post.
Read More