INSPIRATIONAL

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles
by Steven Pressfield

This book has a very special place in my heart because it’s helped me to break through so many creative blocks and to write all of my books. He is a brilliant writer, who shoots from the hip in a firm, yet encouraging voice.
If you are trying to get any creative endeavor off the ground – this is the book for you!

Handbook for the Soul
edited by Richard Carlson and Benjamin Shield

With a foreword by Marianne Williamson, this is a wonderful collection of essays, which I keep on my nightstand. I dip in and pick an essay from any one of a multitude of spiritual giants – from Jack Canfield to Thomas Moore, this set of beautiful writings will help you drift off to peaceful, soulful place.

Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort of Joy
by Sarah Ban Breathnach

I love Sarah’s books. Simple Abundance is a staple that every woman needs on her nightstand or in her bathroom! It teaches you the importance of simple gratitude.

Peace and Plenty: Finding Your Path to Financial Serenity
by Sarah Ban Breathnach

is a great read. It follows Sarah’s road to financial ruin after becoming a millionaire from her hugely successful books. It’s a cautionary tale, where she’s both brutally honest and deeply inspirational. There are many great practical tools for those who are struggling financially.

Spontaneous Evolution: Our Positive Future and a Way to Get There From Here
by Bruce. H. Lipton, PHD

World renowned Bruce Lipton is an expert in the emerging science of epigenetics. He reveals how our changing understanding of biology will help us navigate this turbulent period in our planet’s history, and how each of us can participate in this global shift. If you are into quantum physics and thinking outside of the box in terms of your health and how it relates to the planet, you’ll probably like this as much as I did.

Add More Ing to Your Life: A Hip Guide to Happiness
by Gabrielle Bernstein

This enchanting book invites you to move out of your comfort zone and to attempt to take actions that will completely raise your energy and mood. Gabrielle is a lovely writer with a fresh and vibrant voice. An easy read for anyone whose life feels stale.

GREEN

Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Social Movement in History Is Restoring Grace, Justice, and Beauty to the World
by Paul Hawken

Paul Hawken is a leading environmentalist, who has spent over a decade researching eco-organizations that are really making a difference. He brilliantly describes humanity’s collective genius and unstoppable force in making a difference. With all the doom and gloom abounding, this is a really inspirational and hopeful read.

Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World
by HRH The Prince Of Wales

My mother gave me this book for Christmas and I really loved it. It charts the history of our civilization in terms of relating to our environment. Ultimately Prince Charles believes that there is a natural harmony in nature and that because we are so disconnected from this in virtually every area of our modern existence, we are unwittingly causing the mess we are now facing. He offers realistic and optimistic solutions for the future, and yet opens our minds to the enormity of the problem we now face.

Slow Death by Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things
by Bruce Smith and Robert Lourie

This is an excellent book, which describes in great detail how we are affected by the toxins in everyday products. The authors do extensive testing on themselves before and after exposing themselves to chemicals such as phthalates, parabens, bisphenol A etc. A truly fascinating and eye-opening read.

The Town That Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food
by Ben Hewitt

This is very inspiring and insightful and left me knowing that I should never, ever take food for granted!

Silent Spring
by Rachel Carson

If you haven’t already read this classic from one of the first most prominent female environmentalists, I highly recommend that you do.

HEALTH

Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom (Revised Edition): Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing
by Dr. Christine Northrup

The revised edition of this seminal must-have book, by Dr.Christiane Northrup is  a staple for every woman’s household. Dr. Northrup blends her medical expertise with a holistic and more integrated approach. She covers every woman’s issue from pregnancy to menopause, giving tips, tools and dietary guidelines.

Healthy Beauty: Your Guide to Ingredients to Avoid and Products You Can Trust
by Samuel S. Epstein, MD

This is an excellent reference book, which sets out in a little more detail the chemicals that you need to avoid in all your personal care products. It’s a well researched book, which offers tons of quite surprising safe alternatives.

DIET& FOOD

The End of Food
by Paul Roberts

For anyone interested in the future of food, this is a compelling read. Paul Roberts managed to analyze acres of data and to distil it down into clear, understandable text. He also presents a vision of how we might get ourselves out of the mess we are now in.

Safe Food: The Politics of Food Safety
by Marion Nestle

“Food safety is political.” So claims the title of the introduction to Marion Nestle’s book Safe Food, and this assertion is solidly confirmed in the pages that follow. Nestle exposes the political workings of the system that supposedly guarantees the safety of our food. The operation of this system is unfamiliar to many, but Nestle’s well-researched and carefully documented arguments convince me that the topic should be of concern to anyone who eats.

Real Food: What to Eat and Why
by Nina Planck

With all the crazy diet notions and fads we have to contend with, this is a really refreshing read. Full of humor and great intelligence, Nina is like a really down-to-earth, self-deprecating Alice Waters. She goes into great detail about dairy, meat and every other food group we supposed to be avoiding. An eye-opening read.

Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future
by David Wolfe

I love superfoods, so this was a book that I reached for as soon as I saw it and it didn’t disappoint. If you are interested in learning more about super foods and what they can do for you, I highly recommend David Wolfe – a forerunner in this space.

Crazy Sexy Diet: Eat Your Veggies, Ignite Your Spark, and Live Like You Mean It!
by Kris Carr

I love everything about Kris Carr. She is a gorgeous cancer survivor who has written a couple of books about surviving cancer. This is her much-awaited diet, which really shows you how to cleanse, detox, “re-boot” and alkalize your body. Her writing is fun, accessible, and really practical. Her diet includes spiritual affirmations and all kinds of other very useful tips.