Putting together this list of books has been a great joy. It has allowed me the opportunity once again to leaf through the pages and recall the impact that the stories and the lessons contained in them have had on me over the years. Each book offers a unique perspective and allows the reader to look through life’s prism from a different angle. The authors are some of the greatest thinkers and self-made success stories of our time.

The Alchemist-Paulo Coelho

From the Publisher
Paulo Coelho’s enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world, and this tenth anniversary edition, with a new introduction from the author, will only increase that following. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasures found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.

The Four Agreements-Don Miguel Ruiz

From the Publisher
According to Don Miguel Ruiz, everything we do is based on agreements we have made with ourselves, with other people, with God, with life. But the most important agreements are the ones we make with ourselves. We tell ourselves who we are, how to behave, what is possible, what is impossible. One single agreement is not such a problem, but we have many agreements that come from fear, deplete our energy & diminish our self-worth.In the four agreements, Don Miguel reveals the source of self-limiting agreements that rob us of joy & create needless suffering. When we are ready to change these agreements, there are four deceptively simple, yet powerful agreements that we can adopt as guiding principles. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, the four agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness & love.

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari-Robin Sharma

From the Publisher
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is the story of Julian Mantle, a superstar lawyer whose out-of-balance lifestyle leads him to an almost fatal heart attack in a packed courtroom. His physical collapse brings on a spiritual crisis that forces him to confront the condition of his life and seek answers to life’s most important questions. Hoping to find happiness and fulfillment, he embarks upon an extraordinary odyssey to an ancient culture where he discovers a powerful system to release the potential of his mind, body and soul and learns to live with greater passion, purpose and peace. Brilliantly blending timeless spiritual wisdom of the East with cutting-edge success principles of the West, this inspiring tale shows you a step-by-step pathway for living with greater courage, balance, abundance and joy.

The Saint, The Surfer and the CEO-Robin Sharma

From the Publisher
Once in a while, a book comes along that has the power and the wisdom to speak to the best part of us and awaken our highest selves to the miracle our lives were meant to be. In this truly unforgettable guide, Robin Sharma, author of the national bestseller The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari and a man whose life lessons are currently transforming the lives of many thousands of people across the planet, will show you how to access your inner gifts and reshape your whole outer life in the process. With brilliant simplicity and remarkable insight, The Saint, the Surfer and the CEO will teach you:

Tuesdays With Morrie-Mitch Album

From the Publisher
Maybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher, or a colleague. Someone older, patient and wise, who understood you when you were young and searching, helped you see the world as a more profound place, gave you sound advice to help you make your way through it. For Mitch Albom, that person was Morrie Schwartz, his college professor from nearly twenty years ago.
Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of this mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded, and the world seemed colder. Wouldn’t you like to see that person again, ask the bigger questions that still haunt you, receive wisdom for your busy life today the way you once did when you were younger?
Mitch Albom had that second chance. He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man’s life. Knowing he was dying, Morrie visited with Mitch in his study every Tuesday, just as they used to back in college. Their rekindled relationship turned into one final "class": lessons in how to live.
Tuesdays with Morrie is a magical chronicle of their time together, through which Mitch shares Morrie’s lasting gift with the world.

Still Me-Christopher Reeve

From the Publisher
When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked ’What is a hero?’ I remember the glib response I repeated so many times. My answer was that a hero is someone who commits a courageous action without considering the consequences--a soldier who crawls out of a foxhole to drag an injured buddy to safety. And I also meant individuals who are slightly larger than life: Houdini and Lindbergh, John Wayne, JFK, and Joe DiMaggio. Now my definition is completely different. I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles: a fifteen-year-old boy who landed on his head while wrestling with his brother, leaving him barely able to swallow or speak; Travis Roy, paralyzed in the first thirty seconds of a hockey game in his freshman year at college. These are real heroes, and so are the families and friends who have stood by them."
The whole world held its breath when Christopher Reeve struggled for life on Memorial Day, 1995. On the third jump of a riding competition, Reeve was thrown headfirst from his horse in an accident that broke his neck and left him unable to move or breathe. In the years since then, Reeve has not only survived, but has fought for himself, for his family, and for the hundreds of thousands of people with spinal cord injuries in the United States and around the world. And he has written Still Me, the heartbreaking, funny, courageous, and hopeful story of his life.

The Art of Exceptional Living-Jim Rohn

From the Publisher
The world's foremost producer of personal development and motivational audio programs now provides the secrets for living an exceptional life. You begin by making your life a work of art. You don't have to be a super-achiever. You don't have to be unusually creative. You don't have to endure great obstacles. According to success expert, Jim Rohn, you don't have to do exceptional things at all. Just do ordinary things exceptionally well. That's The Art Of Exceptional Living. According to Rohn, there are things you can, should and must do to get your life on track for success. You may not be aware of it, but they are already in your heart. Once you learn the fundamental secrets, these things come as naturally as breathing.
In The Art Of Exceptional Living, Rohn provides the ideas and inspiration that will lead to unstoppable daily progress. Using his exceptional powers of communication, he helps you through difficult, sometimes painful subject matter, and teaches you how to get beyond personal setbacks to begin living according to your own rules. You'll begin by following the strategies of exceptional living, including:

Dark Side of the Light Chasers-Debbie Ford

From the Publisher
Debbie Ford believes that we each hold within us a trace of every human characteristic that exists, the capacity for every human emotion. We are born with the ability to express this entire spectrum of characteristics. But, Ford points out, our families and our society send us strong messages about which ones are good and bad. So when certain impulses arise, we deny them instead of confronting them, giving them a healthy voice, then letting them go. It is to these feelings that Ford turns our attention, these parts of our selves that don't fit the personae we have created for the rest of the world. She shows us the effects of living in the dark, of keeping all our supposedly unsavory impulses under wraps. We find ourselves disproportionately frustrated and angry at the selfishness of friends, the laziness of colleagues, the arrogance of siblings. When we are unable to reconcile similar impulses in ourselves, Ford explains, we waste our own energy judging others instead of empathizing. But most important, we deny ourselves the power and freedom of living authentically. Through the stories and exercises in The Dark Side of the Light Chasers, Debbie Ford shows us not only how to recognize our hidden emotions, but also how to find the gifts they offer us. The very impulses we most fear may be the key to what is lacking in our lives.

The Power of Positive Thinking-Norman Vincent Peale

From the Publisher
Faith in yourself makes good things happen to you. This classic guide to self-esteem and success will help you learn how to: break the worry habit; get other people to like you; avoid "the jitters" in your daily work; believe in yourself and everything you do; develop the power to reach your goals, and so much more