Reading: A Spiritual Practice

I drove to the harbor recently to meet some friends and when I turned into the parking lot was surprised to see the presence of attendants perched on high deck chairs underneath umbrellas. Dana Point Harbor is currently under construction and I suppose changes inevitable. Neither of the young men made eye contact since both were gazing at what I presumed were phones. Upon closer observation, I noticed one of them was reading an honest-to-goodness REAL book! I stifled an urge to interrupt his reverie to ask what he was reading. I imagined Two Years Before the Mast or maybe Moby Dick (the romantic side of my personality fitting the setting to an apropos classic).

My day brightens when I see people reading outside, lost in faraway worlds, characters, and circumstances. To me, reading is a spiritual practice, good for the body, mind, and soul. Besides transporting us out of our provincial habitats and making us rest, reading opens the doors of empathy, compassion, and social justice. The inner life richly evolves from trivial puddles of worries into vast rivers of wisdom. And all for free, if we intentionally set aside time for this holy leisure. Aye, there’s the rub for most people. Making time.

Summer traditionally holds the promise of slowly down, maybe sitting on the beach, in the backyard, or on a train or plane, reading. Lists of popular books abound on podcasts and newspapers, but sifting through recommendations takes time. Since last summer, I have read over one hundred books, some new titles, some older. Here are a few of my current favorites with some quick reviews to pique your interests.

Brooklyn and Long Island (the new sequel) or any novel by Colm Toibin. Perhaps you saw the movie, also called Brooklyn? The ups and downs of an innocent Irish lass who comes to America and marries into a huge Italian family covers the themes of homesickness, assimilation, loyalty, love and betrayal.

March (a Pulitzer Prize winner) by Geraldine Brooks. The mostly absent character, Father March, of Alcott’s Little Women (husband of Marmee) comes to life as he joins the Union Army during the Civil War, changing his family and the principles he holds dear. I also recommend Year of Wonders (same author) about how people cope with the plague in 17th century. Parallels to the pandemic of 2020 are fascinating.

The Good Lord Bird by James McBride, a fictionalized version of John Brown, the civil rights Christian zealot who organized the siege of Harper’s Ferry in high-speed technicolor! Simultaneously entertaining and insightful. McBride is a master of unusual characters, quirky settings, and sparkling dialog that will make you laugh out loud and then weep. I also loved The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store about a dilapidated community called Chicken Hill, Pennsylvania. Many stories overlap as a mystery from the past is revealed.

September, The Shell Seekers, Winter Solstice, Coming Home by Rosemond Pilchur. This author has been around forever but I just discovered her this past year. Beautiful settings in the UK, all pure escapism and enjoyment, lovely sentiments. Picture these books as carefully crafted series with many episodes on PBS’ “Masterpiece.”

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese. This book is epic with complicated plot lines and fascinating characters. The fear of water seeps into the cracks of the lives of seemingly unrelated circumstances. Do not be afraid of its length. Hang in there. It’s worth it.

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (one of my favorite authors). A family quarantines together during the pandemic on a cherry farm in Michigan. Mom reluctantly reveals a surprising story of her past. Listen to Meryl Streep read the audiobook for a real treat.

Mornings in Jennin by Susan Abulhawa. Shattering, enlightening, insightful, heart-breaking, unforgettable. The trials of a Palestinian family driven out of their land from 1948 to the present. This personal story helps navigate the current headlines on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. I would love to discuss this one!

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters. A heart-wrenching and beautifully written mystery about what happens when a four-year-old Inuit girl goes missing from the blueberry fields of Maine. Haunting and riveting.

Here are a few nonfiction notables:

Spirit Wheel by Stephen Charleston. Prayers from a Native American wisdom elder. Sit outside and read these prayers slowly. They will feed your soul.

A Prayer Journal by Flannery O’Connor. Another side of this famous author is revealed. Now the subject of a new film produced by Ethan Hawkes.

Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul by John Philip Newell. Celtic spirituality at its best.

The Book of Nature by Barbara Mahany. I wrote about this one a previous blog. Pure heaven.

The Love of Thousands by Christine Valters Paintner. You will never think about the Communion of Saints in the same way. Steller.

While the sun burns off the marine layer, I feel the Spirit beckoning me to the spiritual practice that changes lives for the better and graces everyone. I invite you to open a book and join with me and thousands of others as we change the world through reading!