I didn't know a lot about Confucius before reading this book.  I knew that he was a Chinese philosopher who's teachings have been passed down through the ages.  Those little pieces of wisdom from fortune cookies?  Not really his.

Fortunately, Yu Dan's book Confucius from the Heart acts as a Confucius 101.  Written to make the philosophy and its teaching accessible, they also prove to be applicable in every day life.  Early on, the author explains that the reader "should not think that the wisdom of Confucius if lofty and out of reach..." The basic principles are easy to understand, and it's in their simplicity that they are most effective.

Confucius teaches how to achieve happiness by attaining balance and harmony.  This harmony exists not only within ourselves, but also with the world and the people in it.  Having balance with the world provides and inner strength.  This strength helps us deal with the changes and disappointments that may come in life with tranquility.

The philosophy bears a close resemblence to Buddhism.  You may have read these lessons before, they are filled with common sense.  I find that sometimes it's nice to have the positive reinforced; to restate what we know.  Being told that you are capable of harmony and happiness, that you control these aspects of your life,  adds fuel to my inner fire.

Joe Strummer is one of my heroes.  Up until recently I haven't known all that much about him.  Listening to his music I felt that he wa a poet who stood for justice, a Bob Dylan of the punk rock age.  When his solo career took off about a decade ago (eek I'm getting old) I saw him play, which was something close to a religious experience.  There was such a sincerity in his stage performance, both commanding and engaging.  When he passed away in 2005, I was left dumb struck.  Though I had never met him, I felt such a connection with him through his music and performances, it was as though I had lost someone close to my heart.

It didn't dawn on me until recently that I knew virtually nothing about the man I so revered.  Perhaps part of me needed to keep him up on a pedestal, being happy with him as an icon rather than a person.  However, when I saw Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer, curiosity took hold.

In this biography, Chris Salewicz is an amazingly detailed account of the musician's life.  Interviewing friends and family, and sharing his own personal accounts he chronicles the life of John "Joe Strummer" Mellor from his early family life through his impressive career.  Through anecdotes from the people in his life, you (as the reader) gains perspective on who this man was and the influences that shaped his life and music. 

I have to admit, finishing this book was a little bitter-sweet.  We all know how it ends.  I was left with sadness of the loss of this man, who had touched so many in his life.  It feels that he left before his time, that he had so much more he wanted to do.  But most importantly, I came to understand my hero ... that he was in fact human.

I read, and loved Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, don’t get me wrong.  I found her journey, across continents and with herself amazingly insightful.   I appreciate how open and honest she was in describing her adventures.  There were some hard lessons, and sharing her personal feelings and insights makes them engaging.  It’s a book told from her perspective, with no fear and nothing held back.

The tone of the book does have an element of self-indulgence though.  That’s bound to happen when a woman tells her point of view as she’s reconciling the end of her marriage by touring around the world.  Taking a year off from work and obligations is a dream to most people.  Who wouldn’t love to do that?  What Elizabeth offers in addition to her story is the inspiration for others to do the same.  What follows is the question: What would you do with a year off?

In Drink, Play, F@#k: One Man’s Search for Anything Across Ireland, Las Vegas and Thailand, Andrew Gottlieb pushes that question even further.   In this parody he imagines what Bob Sullivan, a jilted husband might do with that time.  Where does a man go to heal his wounded spirit and ego?  His answers lie not in meditation and fine dining, but as the title suggests, drink and fun. 

As Bob spends months on his spiritual bender, the Gottlieb’s dry humor comes through.  Subtle references imply a connection between this narrator and the author of the other book.  Despite this, the book is not rife with cynicism.  Bob makes a couple of jabs, but what man wouldn’t.  This search isn’t about saying how wacky new-age people are, but just takes life from another perspective.

I found this book immensely humorous, not just for the smart writing, but also because of the tale.  We’ve all encountered change and heartbreak.  And we each have our own ways of coping.  If I were to write my own book, it would be closer to Bob’s tale.  “Drink, Dance, Play Gin Rummy” would be my own tale of soul searching through New York City dance halls and one very cold winter in Queens.  A necessary phase in my life, Lord knows I had way too much fun; I found my own gurus and learned about myself in the most remote places of New York City.  And this is perhaps why I found this book so amusing.  We each have our own adventures – if we all had the same one none of us would be very interesting.

Halloween's right around the corner and the decorations make me think about all things ghouly and fangy, dark and sinister.  And when I think of fangs, I can't help but think of Buffy.  My love affair with teen vampire dramas came as a surprise.  Admittedly, I'm fickle in my tastes.  I adore Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Twilight Saga, but can't get into Ann Rice or True Blood (I'm on the fence about the Vampire Diaries - will have to get back to you on that one).  It's not necessarily the vampire as a metaphor that interests me, but the intelligent heroine dealing with the vampire metaphor.

I found myself attracted to Buffy, for the character fighting the good fight in the face of complicated choices.  The fact that she show's well written, hysterically funny and a great escape doesn't hurt either.  With the Buffy character, there's something relate able.  She's a good person who is sometimes faced with difficult choices and at times makes bad decisions, because she is human. 

In her book, What Would Buffy Do: The Vampire Slayer as Spiritual Guide, Jana Reis takes a close look at faith as it applies to the Slayer.  Despite the forces of good and evil, there is almost no mention of religion in the show (which is one of the reasons I think it works), but a strong sense of faith.  Buffy is constantly forced t make sacrifices in order to save the world, for the greater good, because she knows what's right.  The trials and tribulations in the show mirror those experienced by the bodhisattvas, saints and other spiritual leaders. 

Like the show however, the book doesn't take itself too seriously (it is about a televison character, after all).  There are laughs to be had and lessons we can learn along the way.

The brain is a funny and complicated thing.  A year ago, when I first started my blog I had no idea I could write.  Of course I have written before, but it was always for work or someone else, never for myself.  I read like a maniac, and keep the occasional journal.  So really, it's no surprise that writing came to me naturally. 

I know I'm not tooting my own horn here  - believe me, I'm my own worst critic - I've received some fantastic feedback on my writing.  I also landed a wonderful part-time job based on my writing samples.  It was so pleasing to find something I enjoy and am actually good at.

Then something happened: writer's block.  I don't know where it came from.  Two months ago I had all the confidence in the world, three weeks ago it evaporated somewhere into the ether.  Suddenly, I found that no words came to me, and when they did I was riddled with self-doubt about my ability.  Even worse, I now have assignments and deadlines.  Somehow I mustered through it.  With the help of a couple fantastic proof-readers I completed my pieces, but I honestly don't think I can ever read them again.

In the midst of this block my friend Rebecca suggested a book, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing & Life by Anne Lammott.  Init, she's not offering tips on how to get published, or write the next epic.  Instead, she offers suggestions on what to expect from the writing process.  Reading this book was a revelation.  Suddenly it became clear that I've been expecting a lot of myself.  No one writes a perfect first draft.  As she describes sitting in front of her computer letting neurosis take hold (does so-and-so hate me?  My throat tickles, do I have cancer of the larynx?) and the mind wanders, I felt okay about myself.

The book deals with elements of fiction writing, and though that's not style, the advice applies.  In fact, this book applies to any creative endeavor.  The real message be gentle with yourself, stick with it, listen to feedback and remember to enjoy.  As long as you're writing for the sake of writing, to speak your mind, it's an enjoyable process.  And like anything else in life (swimming, drawing, dancing, playing an instrument), you become better with practice.