The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

I picked up this book from the library when a friend of mine asked a group of us to go through the book with her. The Artist's Way is designed to be worked through over 12 weeks. Because it was a library book, I did it in six. My friends had started the book a few weeks before me but I still think I finished first.
The concept is to learn how to nurture your creative side and avoid creative blocks. I had picked up the book years ago but it didn't make an impression. I don't think I took it seriously. This time, I found I wanted to recommend it to everyone I know. Even though I did it in half the time and didn't quite do everything, I gave it a lot of effort. It's a great book but it's not perfect.
I did notice that it had a way of bringing to light the weirdest issues. The first time I read it, I had a real problem with Julia Cameron's use of God. Looking back, that was a time I was working through my own issues of faith. A friend of mine has the same issue but she also took issue with Julia Cameron's use of twelve step programs. This was something that no one else noticed making us wonder where the issue for her lies.
For me, I struggled with some of the more old fashioned wording. I am a woman in my thirties with a lot of future left. I struggled with Julia Cameron's questions like "If it wasn't too late, I would...." For me, it's not too late. I want to live in the now - not the past or the future. There's an issue there but I can't say what it is but it gives me something to explore.
I read a number of reviews of this book and find that you really have to be in the right place for this book to be helpful and, sadly, it's a place of recovery. The book is designed to help those recover from their blocks but it's a hard place to pull out of. I can understand why - Julia Cameron wrote this as a substitute to her workshops. The problem is that a workshop is more supportive than a book. I can picture that people use the book alone without support of others. You need a sounding board and someone to hold your hand when it gets too tough. You need accountibility that just doesn't come with a book.
I do recommend this book and have been contemplating using it to start my own workshops in my area but I don't recommend going it alone. Find other creative beings who want to work through it as well. It doesn't matter if they have blocks or not - there's still things to be learned.
I start this book over (I bought a copy for my husband) next week and plan on working through it with my husband so that he can discover the tools to prevent creative blocks as he starts his own blogs and persues his own dreams.

The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger

This book looks like a children's picture book but it's for adults. The material may be a little mature for most children (my 14 year old read it and told me he didn't get it) but it's suitable for any reader.
The story follows a woman who, while walking one night, discovers a bookmobile that houses everything she has ever read. She spends the rest of her life searching for the bookmobile. She does find it now and again but she becomes obsessed with the place.
I can understand that feeling. I can imagine touching each book I have read, re-discovering books I had forgotten (and perhaps finding those few stories that I remember but for the life of me can't remember their titles).
I don't think I would react the same as the woman in the book but I certainly can understand it.
It's really short - about a 10 minute read for most readers but it's entertaining.

Lives of Extraordinary Women by Kathleen Krull

This is the only non-fiction book on my list. I am not really one who reads non-fiction cover to cover. I really prefer getting all my non-fiction via Discovery Channel. This book, however, is a great exception.
Lives of Extraordinary Women covers the lives of 20 women who influenced history. Some are quite familiar such as Cleopatra and Joan of Arc but others are lesser known such as Wilma Mankiller and Jeannette Rankin. I was impressed by the cultural variety of the book as well as the realistic picture painted of these women. Some were not your fairy tale women who fought proudly - some were actually quite vile when it came to women's rights or the way they lived. I could really appreciate the work the author did. She even clarified some more fictional aspects of some of these women's lives.
I really appreciated how she wrapped up their lives in a few short pages - giving enough detail to understand the woman's significance without droning on. It gave me a taste to learn more which is always a good thing. I don't think this is the ultimate report writing book but enough to give a child a chance to find someone of significance. The book is somewhat in chronological order since some of these women were alive at the same time. Some were in politics, some were political activists and others were explorers. I can't imagine there isn't someone in the book that won't strike a cord with every reader.