The Pilgrimage

By: Paolo Coelho


Why do you have what you have now? From our early years, we've been geared to attain "the best" which is why we were sent to good schools and parents and elders almost telling us what decision to make. A lot of us, however, just acted on the urgings of those around us and so we fail to understand why we decided to do what we do.

Much like the pilgrimage of Coelho in Spain, he was so focused on reaching his objective, which is finding the sword taken away from him, and he never thought of what he would do with it as soon as he gets it back. The journey on the road to San Tiago allowed him to fully realize this. What kind of journey would it take for us to discover ours?

Paulo Coelho's clever story-telling touches again another human behaviour on a spiritual plane. Thought provoking as his style is, he also urges us to try the sugggested exercises in the novel and discover our existence, and master our self.

Publisher: HarperOne
ISBN-10:006251279X
ISBN-13: 978-0062512796
First printing: 1995

A Self-Made Man

By: Paul Hewitt with Jane Warren

This is a very interesting in-depth recounting of one woman's journey to becoming a man both inside and out. If you have been wondering what goes through the mind of a woman who thinks or believes she is a he and is trapped inside a woman's body, the book bares all.

In fairness to her, she tried to be a woman and even had boyfriends but she came to a point when she felt she is destroying her identity by forcing herself to seem one when her mind is gravitating to the wants and needs of a man.

From her struggles to fit in a woman's world to her process of embracing the person who wants to emerge from a woman's body, Self-Made Man narrates the stage by stage debut of Paul Hewitt who has an identical twin sister and they are both beautiful and well-endowed on the chest. She gave it all up for a psychological certificate that she is in fact a man, male hormone treatments, and a double mastectomy to complete the desired masculine look. Reading Paul's diary, I found myself feeling sad of the pains and sufferings he had to go through and laughing of his experiences while doing the sex change.

When I bought the book, I only glanced at the title and thought I'll be reading another Og Mandino inspiring story. I didn't know it was literally about a woman making herself into a man. But, I'm glad I read it because I became more understanding of lesbians. They are not as freaky as most straight people think. They are still human beings deserving of respect and equal rights from fellow human beings. In all honesty, it washed away the iffiness I've always felt towards lesbians. I have a sister who is one and ever since that book, I can only think of her as my sister who happens to have a different orientation of her sexuality. She also tried very hard to be feminine but it was all very awkward until she chose to be who she really is...and that is being a he.

Publisher: Trafalgar Square Publishing
ISBN-10: 0747249989
ISBN-13: 978-0747249986
First Printing: 1997

Who Moved My Cheese?

By: Dr. Spencer Johnson

This short parable of two mice and two mouse-like beings is the most entertaining and not-in-your-face kind of reading that imparts value and self-reflection on dealing with change.

Starting with a group of former classmates after a highschool reunion, one started to talk about life after highschool and where they are now. Everybody agreed each had to cope with unexpected changes and so the guy who started the discussion talked about the parable of the cheese, two mice and two mouse-like beings.

The characters in the parable represent four different kinds of individuals in the face of change. We all know change constantly happens but how do we deal with it? By knowing how we react to change, the better we will be to cope with what's happening around us and take that opportunity to step up.

It is so simple and obvious yet a lot are stubborn to accept change. If you are in a business setting, spotting people who would be crucial to be with you in times of major changes will be a plus on your side. Even in your personal life like relationships, "smelling" change is just around a corner helps prepare you to deal with this in advance.

The nuggets of learning highlighted are simple reminders of perseverance and hope. They are practical and doable. The book is massively successful that it even beget products supplementing the book. Who Moved My Cheese is for everyone and if you are one who is particularly tired of keeping up and wants to be ahead of the game, this book is definitely for you.

Publisher: Vermilion
ISBN-10: 0091816971
ISBN-13: 978-0091816971
First Printing: 1999

Confessions of a Shopaholic

By: Sophie Kinsella

A truly hilarious, easy-to-read chick lit by the fabulous Sophie Kinsella. Any girl who has the urge to shop can relate to Becky Bloomwood's line of reasoning "why I have to buy it now."

As incredible as it is to believe, there are real people out there who would be in a more serious deep-shit than Becky. "Stupid," one may think but it's true!

I like Sophie's style of writing...simple, direct and natural. The exaggerated scenarios are truly page gripping while entertaining. There are countless times I wanted to shake Becky because of the trouble she's getting herself into. As a credit card user myself and having been hounded by two banks, I know how scary and embarassing it would be to be black-listed by banks.

What would one get out from reading this book? Well, apart from amusement, a sense of self-restraint when it comes to impulsive buying. It is not always funny to be in debt over credit cards. You may also find yourself frustrated over the things Becky gets herself into. As a college graduate and a finance journalist, you'd think there's more sense in her but the author is clever enough to point out that in the real world, there are such educated people putting themselves in the bank's wanted list...only, not all gets the saving grace Becky gets.

Publisher: Dial Press Trade Paperback
ISBN-10: 0385335482
ISBN-13: 978-0385335485
First Printing: 2001

He's Just Not That Into You

By: Greg Behrendt & Liz Tuccillo

Here's a no-holds-barred advice to women who are still justifying the (in)actions of the guys they like but not getting their proper attention. It’s like a He Says, She Says compilation with a dose of psychoanalysis from both parties.

It is a fun read, not offensive, and full of sound tips on how to end up with Mr Right. More than that, there are counsels that will leave women empowered with a little bit of morale boosting on the side. The book will make women realize that when a man is not showing great interest, it only means they are not the right partner to end up with. Or, like in the marketing business, you are the product and when the market is not responding to the product, it means they are not the target market.

The layout is interesting in that it is not purely paragraph by paragraph sort of reading. There are also icons denoting points of interest and then there are also some boxes of Q&As, as if somebody wrote in a question and was added in the last minute of publication. The assemblage conveys honesty from the authors and if you’re one of those women who are still stuck with a guy who is not interested in you at all, then you will feel that the book is talking to you. You may see yourself guilty in every scenario presented within the Q&A.

Personally, I was on the verge of initiating a reconciliation with my ex when a friend told me to read this book first. When I did (in just one sitting, it really gripped me), I totally trashed the idea of even giving him a call. Two years later, I met my fiancé and I couldn’t have found a better match for myself. So, the book speaks the truth!

Publisher: Simon Spotlight Entertainment
ISBN-10: 068987474X
ISBN-13: 978-0689874741
First Printing: 2004

How To Have A Beautiful Mind

By: Edward De Bono

A practical read for those who want to be true global citizens. With the inevitable globalization already happening, people are more than citizens of their country. The way technology shaped our communication, making the world smaller, people are more in-touch in real time. Barriers have been torn down in the digital world and with the latest hi-tech gadgets available in most countries, time zones do not hinder people from conducting business and such.

And so, here we are in the midst of communication explosion and yet proper communication is every human being's key weakness. More than the language barrier, not being able to deliver our ideas properly and process ideas with an open mind from others are two of the major causes of miscommunication.

"How to Have a Beautiful Mind" gives loads of tips and suggests easy and doable exercises for anyone who interacts with people on a daily basis. It will allow you to have an open mind and consider the other person's point of view while at the same time, let people hear you out. At the end of every conversation, you earn respect, be liked by anyone, and walk away with more ideas to grow on.

The book caught my attention because of its simple and uncomplicated cover. The white cover and the kindergarten-like design immediately told me this will be easy-peasy...and it's true! Not to mention the author Edward De Bono himself who is a highly respected individual and responsible for introducing innovative and highly successful ways of conducting business. It may seem there's a lot to take on just to achieve a beautiful mind but it is worth trying what is outlined in the book.

Publisher: Ebury Press
ISBN-10: 0091894603
ISBN-13: 978-0091894603
First Printing: 2004

WALDEN or Life in the Woods

By: Henry David Thoreau

I first noticed Walden as a book when I watched the movie Dead Poets Society. There was a scene where young men quoted from books and one said "I went to the woods to suck out the marrow of life..." It had a profound impact on me that I decided to read the entire book. That singular sentence alone holds the true meaning of the movie in the whole scheme of things.

Thoreau was very accurate to recount his experiences when he chose to give up his possessions and life in the big town and went to live instead in the woods and start living from scratch. Relying on the available natural resources, he built his house and his furniture one at a time. What he tried to do was simply go back to basics and optimize his self with the rest of the world and at the same time, do whatever suited his needs and the needs of his spirit.

It is a highly recommended read for those who found themselves at a dead end. When you have ticked off all the items in your to-do list, what's next? The book allows you to re-think your life and help you go on to the next level but this time, do things differently. You will feel compelled to ask yourself questions like how would you want to be remembered in this life? What legacy would you want to leave to those who will succeed you?

It is also a source of philosophical musings in relationship to the mundane things of life and how important they can be. This is most especially true if when you think about it, we are so familiar with how we live our life yet it is not obvious to us the impact it has to the rest of the world. The sad part is, we belittle ourselves too much. By doing so, we deprive our environment and the people around us of the great effects of what our presence can bring.

The style of writing used by Thoreau may or may not appeal to some. It is plainly written mentioning the highlights of events that happened. There are no climactic moments that would leave your fingers stuck to the pages of the book. They are real moments, no sugar-coating, no exaggerations whatsoever. But, what is so appreciable of the whole novel is how real and bland life can get. Whilst everyone can totally relate to this kind of living, it is not entertaining so do not expect this to be a source of amusement. But, with patience and perseverance to finish reading this book, you will, in the end, realize how your life can be different and impactful.