Both of us spend a lot of time with our noses in a book. We've each included two book recommendations along with a short synopsis.
Peyton's selections...
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller (Peyton gifted me a copy of this book and I can't wait to dive in-Annie)
The byline of the book is "Non Religious Thoughts On Christian Spirituality." Donald Miller goes over various topics related to Christian spirituality that one may question and offers further explanation. It's one of the best books I've read this year. I highlighted many sections of the book as I was reading and this particular one stood out: "... I want my spirituality to rid me of hate, not give me reason for it."
Jackie As Editor by Greg Lawrence
Endless books, newspaper columns, and magazine articles have been written about Jacqueline Onassis's time as Mrs. Kennedy and more importantly as First Lady. It is often overlooked that after the death of Aristotle Onassis, she moved back to New York City and began a very successful career as a book editor. Jackie As Editor is written by Greg Lawrence, an author who wrote three books edited by Mrs. Onassis, and offers some charming anecdotes from other authors she worked with, as well as friends and acquaintances. I have read many books on Jacqueline Onassis and this is one of my favorites – it shows a more down-to-earth side of the former First Lady.
Madison's selections...
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
This book is devastating and moving – and certainly a book which I think anyone could find meaning in. In his memoir Dr. Kalanithi is tremendously humble and seeks to define what makes a life worth living. A must read not only for the content, but also for the eloquent manner in which he details the beautiful and difficult moments of his brilliant life.
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller
Also by Donald Miller – I'm currently reading a third book by him, so they're okay I guess (kidding) – this book is based on the process of writing the script for the film Blue Like Jazz. I would recommend reading Blue Like Jazz to better understand some of the references he makes to the book. Blue Like Jazz is full of observations of the world, whereas in A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Donald Miller seeks to discover how we can all live good stories. At this point in my life, where I am on the verge of graduating from college and looking for a career path that I am passionate about and thinking about how to live out my purpose in life; I frequently reference the messages in this book when talking to Peyton about what I hope for. And with that, just a few of my favorite lines from the book:
"The most often repeated commandment in the Bible is 'Do not fear.' It's in there over two hundred times. That means a couple of things, if you think about it. It means we are going to be afraid, and it means we shouldn't let fear boss us around. Before I realized we were supposed to fight fear, I thought of fear as a subtle suggestion in our subconscious designed to keep us safe, or more important, keep us from getting humiliated. And I guess it serves that purpose. But fear isn't only a guide to keep us safe; it's also a manipulative emotion that can trick us into living a boring life."
"A good storyteller doesn't just tell a better story, though. He invites other people into the story with him, giving them a better story too."
Peyton + Madison
