Memorable Books I read in 2023

A booklist is something I appreciate finding or receiving. Why? Because it is an opportunity to open new doors and discover new ideas. So I am sharing the 5 books I read in 2023 that I still often think about. Not all newly published, because that's how I read.

This booklist is complementary to the list of the best 5 audiobooks I listened to in 2023.

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer

I have been trying to read this book for a few years. I was not ready. I eventually finished it in 2023. Sometimes we are not either ready to take in what is in a book or are not in the right state of mind to read it. Choosing books for the moment you are in is the reason one should always have a few going at the same time.

I am grateful I finally read this book. I suspect I will return to it again in the future. It is a beautiful exploration of our inner space and inner journey. It is about our relationship with ourselves.

Here is a quote from it: "What actually gives life meaning is the willingness to live it. It isn't any particular event; it's the willingness to experience life's events."

When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress by Gabor Mate

As a big fan of Dr. Mate, this was the second time I read it and I experienced it very differently than the first time. As I read the stories, I reflected on my own experience with physical illness and trauma and the experiences of those close to me. The most powerful lesson I took away was the one about trauma transmitted through generations. Here is a quote: "Parenting in short is a dance of the generation. Whatever affected one generation, but has not been resolved, it will be passed on to future generations." I constantly remind myself now as I work on myself and with my clients that a strong motivation for doing the inner work is that so we don't pass on to our children our limiting beliefs and unhealed wounds.

Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most by Cassie Holmes

Cassie Holmes, social psychologist, award winning teacher and researcher on the role of time in cultivating happiness and satisfaction in life writes about how we can improve our lives by how we perceive and invest our time. This book is an investment guide about your most precious resource, time. Definitely the best book I read in 2023 about time.

I wrote a full blog post about it.

Reading fiction is known to help us develop empathy and critical thinking. It makes us happier and more creative. So here are two fiction titles:

An Italian Girl in Brooklyn by Santa Montefiore

I am always drawn to historical fiction with a touch or romance or mystery. This one is a mix of historical fiction and romance set in New York City in the 70's and 80's and in Italy before and during the Second World War. Going back and forth between the two, a beautiful love story it told.

The Night Travelers by Armando Lucas Correa

Set during the Second World War, the 50's and 80's in Berlin and Havana, this a multigenerational story about four women who are on a journey of self-discovery. I've read other books by the author and I am fascinated by his own story about growing up in Cuba and then moving to the United States. Having written most of his books while working full-time as the Editor-in Chief at People en Espanol and not becoming a published author till later in life, he is an inspiration to me. New book is coming out this month: The Silence in Her Eyes.

If you have a reading suggestion to share, please do. We are so fortunate to have books and reading in our lives!