02 Dec Inspirational Books for Christmas Gifts
Are you stuck for gifts this year? Do you want to share some inspiration this Christmas? Our book suggestions have remarkable people, mindfulness, joy and gratitude, and an appreciation of our amazing planet from space!
If I Could Tell You Just One Thing…: Encounters with Remarkable People and Their Most Valuable Advice
by Richard Reed (Author), Samuel Kerr (Illustrator)
Adventures in advice with some of the world’s most remarkable people. President Bill Clinton, Clare Balding, Stephen Fry, Dame Judi Dench, Sir David Attenborough, Annie Lennox, Andy Murray, Sir Richard Branson, Bear Grylls, Ruby Wax, Alain de Botton, Jo Malone, Heston Blumenthal, Katie Piper, and Richard Curtis are just some of the many inspiring people who appear in Richard Reed’s fascinating book. In each case, Richard asked them to share with him some of their hard-earned wisdom and insights into life and how to make the most of it. If I Could Tell You Just One Thing is not only packed with great advice but is also an enormously entertaining, brilliantly written and stunningly designed book. Each of the encounters is complemented by a pen and ink portrait by the award-winning British artist, Samuel Kerr. The resulting book is a treasure trove for readers of all ages and interests and a perfect gift book for just about anyone.
The Book of Joy
by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have survived more than fifty years of exile and the soul-crushing violence of oppression. Despite their hardships – or, as they would say, because of them – they are two of the most joyful people on the planet. In April 2015, Archbishop Tutu travelled to the Dalai Lama’s home in Dharamsala, India, to celebrate His Holiness’s eightieth birthday and to create this book as a gift for others. They looked back on their long lives to answer a single burning question: how do we find joy in the face of life’s inevitable suffering? They traded intimate stories, teased each other continually, and shared their spiritual practices. By the end of a week filled with laughter and punctuated with tears, these two global heroes had stared into the abyss and despair of our times and revealed how to live a life brimming with joy. This book offers us a rare opportunity to experience their astonishing and unprecedented week together, from the first embrace to the final goodbye.
Mindfulness for Creativity: Adapt, Create and Thrive in a Frantic World
By Dr Danny Penman
We all have work deadlines, to-do lists, family commitments, or pressure to perform. Our frantic lives demand so much from us that we can often feel locked into a cycle of frustration, anxiety and stress. Some days we are unable to tackle the tasks before us or see a way out of our habitual ways of thinking and doing things. Yet there is a way out. The simple mindfulness techniques at the heart of this book have been proven to enhance creativity, problem solving and decision making. They also dissolve anxiety, stress and depression while enhancing mental resilience. The author’s easy-to-follow programme works by soothing and clearing your mind, allowing innovative ideas to take form and crystallise. This helps you to spontaneously ‘see’ the solution to a problem, to conjure up new ideas, or to create works with true insight and flair. The programme also helps build the courage necessary for you to follow your ideas wherever they should lead – and the resilience to cope with any setbacks. It will help your mind work more effectively so that you can solve problems faster, more intuitively and have the inner confidence to drive your ideas forward. The accompanying CD contains 6 meditations that you can use to build an ongoing practice, mixing and matching meditations to suit your circumstances.
Hello, is this planet Earth?: My View from the International Space Station
By Tim Peake
‘It’s impossible to look down on Earth from space and not be mesmerised by the fragile beauty of our planet.’
Hello, is this planet Earth? takes readers on a mesmerizing tour of Tim’s historic and inspirational six-month Principia mission. Based on over 150 of Tim’s stunning photographs that he took on board the international space station, many of which have not been seen before, this lavish collection showcases the beauty of earth from above, and is the perfect visual time capsule of Tim’s remarkable trip, which captured the imaginations of millions of children and adults across the world. The book includes breath-taking aerial photos of cities illuminated at night, the northern lights and unforgettable vistas of oceans, mountains and deserts.
During his mission, Tim conducted numerous ground-breaking science experiments and engaged the British public in ingenious ways. Tim became the first British astronaut to complete a spacewalk and the first person to run the London marathon in space. He spoke to hundreds of thousands of school children back on earth via events such as the Cosmic Classroom live from the ISS, engaging over 1 million children during the whole mission. He was also involved in other memorable events, such as presenting the BRIT Awards live from space in a dinner jacket. 24 million people watched Tim blast off and over 2 million fans continue to follow his updates across social media.In the Queen’s birthday honours, Tim was made a companion of the order of St Michael and St George, an award given to those who have given distinguished service overseas, or, in Tim’s case, in space.