BOOKS

The Creative Act A Way of Being

Rick Rubin · 2023

The Mamba Mentality

Kobe Bryant · 2018

<p><b><i>The Mamba Mentality: How I Play</i></b><b> is Kobe Bryant’s personal perspective of his life and career on the basketball court and his exceptional, insightful style of playing the game—a fitting legacy from the late Los Angeles Laker superstar.</b><br><br>In the wake of his retirement from professional basketball, Kobe “The Black Mamba” Bryant decided to share his vast knowledge and understanding of the game to take readers on an unprecedented journey to the core of the legendary “Mamba mentality.” Citing an obligation and an opportunity to teach young players, hardcore fans, and devoted students of the game how to play it “the right way,” <i>The Mamba Mentality</i> takes us inside the mind of one of the most intelligent, analytical, and creative basketball players ever.<br><br>In his own words, Bryant reveals his famously detailed approach and the steps he took to prepare mentally and physically to not just succeed at the game, but to excel. Readers will learn how Bryant studied an opponent, how he channeled his passion for the game, how he played through injuries. They’ll also get fascinating granular detail as he breaks down specific plays and match-ups from throughout his career.<br><br>Bryant’s detailed accounts are paired with stunning photographs by the Hall of Fame photographer Andrew D. Bernstein. Bernstein, long the Lakers and NBA official photographer, captured Bryant’s very first NBA photo in 1996 and his last in 2016—and hundreds of thousands in between, the record of a unique, twenty-year relationship between one athlete and one photographer.<br><br>The combination of Bryant’s narrative and Bernstein’s photos make <i>The Mamba Mentality</i> an unprecedented look behind the curtain at the career of one of the world’s most celebrated and fascinating athletes.</p>

Be Water, My Friend

Shannon Lee · 2020

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

Mark Manson · 2016

<p>#1 New York Times Bestseller • More than 10 million Copies Sold</p><p>In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be "positive" all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people.</p><p>For decades, we’ve been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. "F**k positivity," Mark Manson says. "Let’s be honest, shit is f**ked and we have to live with it." In his wildly popular Internet blog, Manson doesn’t sugarcoat or equivocate. He tells it like it is—a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected modern society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up.</p><p>Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited—"not everybody can be extraordinary, there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault." Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek.</p><p>There are only so many things we can give a f**k about so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.</p>

Be Here Now

Ram Dass · 1971

<b>Beloved guru Ram Dass tells the story of his spiritual awakening and gives you the tools to take control of your life in this “counterculture bible” (<i>The New York Times</i>) featuring powerful guidance on yoga, meditation, and finding your true self.</b><br><br>When <i>Be Here Now </i>was first published in 1971, it filled a deep spiritual emptiness, launched the ongoing mindfulness revolution, and established Ram Dass as perhaps the preeminent seeker of the twentieth century.<br><br>Just ten years earlier, he was known as Professor Richard Alpert. He held appointments in four departments at Harvard University. He published books, drove a Mercedes and regularly vacationed in the Caribbean. By most societal standards, he had achieved great success. . . . And yet he couldn’t escape the feeling that something was missing. <br> <br>Psilocybin and LSD changed that. During a period of experimentation, Alpert peeled away each layer of his identity, disassociating from himself as a professor, a social cosmopolite, and lastly, as a physical being. Fear turned into exaltation upon the realization that at his truest, he was just his inner-self: a luminous being that he could trust indefinitely and love infinitely.<br><br>And thus, a spiritual journey commenced. Alpert headed to India where his guru renamed him Baba Ram Dass—“servant of God.” He was introduced to mindful breathing exercises, hatha yoga, and Eastern philosophy. If he found himself reminiscing or planning, he was reminded to “Be Here Now.” He started upon the path of enlightenment, and has been journeying along it ever since.<br><br><i>Be Here Now</i> is a vehicle for sharing the true message, and a guide to self-determination.

The Wim Hof Method

Wim Hof · 2022

<b>OVER 1 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE</b><br> <br> <b>'I've never felt so alive'</b> <i>JOE WICKS</i><br> <br> <br> <b>'A fascinating look at Wim's incredible life and method'</b> <i>FEARNE COTTON</i><br> <br> <br> <b><i>My hope is to inspire you to retake control of your body and life by unleashing the immense power of the mind.</i></b><br> <br> <b>'The Iceman' Wim Hof</b> shares his remarkable life story and powerful method for supercharging your health and happiness. Refined over forty years and championed by scientists across the globe, you'll learn how to harness three key elements of <b>Cold</b>, <b>Breathing</b> and <b>Mindset</b> to take ownership over your own mind and wellbeing.<br> <br> <br> <b>'The book will change your life'</b> <i>BEN FOGLE</i><br> <br> '<b>Wim is a legend of the power ice has to heal and empower'</b> <i>BEAR GRYLLS<br> <br> Sunday Times</i> bestseller, July 2022

How To Die Happy

O''Toole · 2023

<p>How can you achieve long-lasting happiness? Or transform your relationship with fear, death, or grief? What is happiness anyway? </p><p><br></p><p>All these questions (and more) are asked and answered in How To Die Happy.</p><p><br></p><p>An excerpt from the foreword: </p><p><br></p><p>"This madman has found a way to weave such wisdom into a tapestry of interconnected insight and understanding. The result is a charming and witty guide to attaining happiness that is both heartfelt and funny".</p><p><br></p><p>- Lee Holden, founder of Holden Qi Gong, international meditation and qi gong instructor, author, and TV personality. </p><p><br></p><p>Exploring themes around life "at Earth School" - depression, consumption, distraction, emotions, ego, and the pursuit of success, How To Die Happy examines why many of us feel robbed of bliss, joy, and peace. It's a guide to happiness that embraces the paradoxical impermanence of this sought-after prize.</p><p><br></p><p>Former high-functioning alcoholic adman Martin O'Toole once lived a wild life of excess, oblivious of how his childhood trauma had profoundly impaired his emotional maturation. A near-suicidal event was the launchpad for his learning about mental health's complexities - lessons, he muses: he "ought to have been taught as a child".</p><p><br></p><p>Leaving the hectic pace of London for the contrasting peace of the tropical island of Bali, O'Toole set out to heal his various neuroses. This extensive process of self-help work led to discovering what he calls the "Anatomy of Happy" - a methodology detailed in this book. </p><p><br></p><p>How To Die Happy distils the secrets to living and dying well. This book cherry-picks Eastern philosophies like Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, connecting their relationship to mindfulness and psychological practices. </p><p><br></p><p>The author shares tales of loss, self-suffering, forgiveness, love, and the miraculous healing power of psychedelic plant medicines. He deftly tackles serious subject matter in fun, often self-effacing and lighthearted ways. Perhaps, unusually, these are not lessons offered by an enlightened guru or a PhD but by a self-professed, fallible "man on the mend". </p><p><br></p><p>More specifically, you'll discover the following: </p><p><br></p><ul><li>How our relationship with death impedes a contented life.</li><li>What happiness is and is not.</li><li>The cruciality of Shadow Work on the road to personal transformation.</li><li>How forgiveness and self-love impact inner peace.</li><li>How understanding psychology and ego will transform your relationship with Self and others.</li><li>How mindfulness reverses depression, narcissism, anxiety, alcoholism, sex and drug addiction, and more. </li><li>How psychedelics, meditation, and breathwork can cultivate a welcome "ego death".</li><li>How accepting the impermanent nature of all things is the key to letting go.</li></ul><p><br></p><p>How To Die Happy tackles the root causes of depression and dissatisfaction. Part curated wisdom, part handbook, part memoir, this inspirational text offers a blend of ancient lessons, real-life stories, and a host of practical utilities to enjoy a vibrant and contented life.</p><p><br></p><p>"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step". </p><p><br></p><p>- Lao Tzu</p><p><br></p><p>Today, we face material and mental distractions at every turn. This book offers meaningful concepts to help you find inner peace and happiness in a world that needs it more than ever. </p><p><br></p><p>If you seek genuinely sustainable happiness, this is a self-care book you must read before you die.</p>