I have come to believe...

By Mena Suvari on 05/21/2008

i have come to believe that many of us do not read books enough these days. it seems that whenever i look around, it is tabloids, tabloids...
where did it all go wrong? :^)
i wanted to include today a list of books that i have read that offer a wide range of information and might appeal to anyone.
i hope that you enjoy, and i challenge you: the next time you are at a news stand, try picking up a National Geographic instead of an US Weekly. you might just educate and inspire yourself more.

with many blessings..
m


THE PROPHET by Kahlil Gibran

-most people know of this book and if you haven't read it, you should. the writing is unbelievably beautiful and the book itself is truly spiritual. it brought so much joy and peace into my life.. i keep it by my bedside and look into it every now n' again.

THE STATE OF AFRICA by Martin Meredith

-this book tells us of how the African nations of today came to be; how they moved out of occupation and towards independence. i believe it is a very powerful book to read and helps us understand why conditions are the way that they are today in Africa. i believe one can never read enough about history to understand one's position in the world.

GIVING by Bill Clinton

-this book is a wealth of information on how to give back to others and the world. i believe everyone should read this book. no matter how you might feel about Bill Clinton politically, he writes a great book with so many avenues of how to "give back" to our community and make the world a better and more equal place. i realized after reading this book, how much potential all of us have as individuals to really make a difference, big or small, in someone else's life. this is empowering to know, and i hope that everyone can have the same experience that i did from reading this book.

MUHAMMAD by Karen Armstrong

-MUHAMMAD is the first book of Karen's that i have read as of yet, but it encouraged me to order more of hers and read her other works. i grew up pretty much out of the "religious" world and recently decided that i wanted to educate myself about as many religions as i could. i believe that religion shapes so much of who we are and how we view our world and others around us. i felt it was important for me to read this book after there being so much attention focused on the Middle East and i realized that i didn't know much about the basic fundamentals of a people that we were at war with. i believe that not only should everyone read this book, but especially Americans. it is powerful to know that Jesus is regarded as a Saint in the Muslim religion and at one time the Jews, Christians, and Muslims coexisted peacefully and learned from one another. it was a religion founded on peace and equality for the sexes. i believe it's best not to judge and if you do, at least have the correct knowledge to do so. don't discriminate just because others are different.

BASE INSTINCTS: What Makes Killers Kill by Jonathan H. Pincus, M.D.

-i read this book so long ago, but it changed my life in how i viewed humanity. Dr. Pincus speaks of why he believes people become violent and offers his own theory involving three factors that he found present in many criminals that he interviewed in his service. in reading this book, i for the first time was able to see where the criminal was coming from and not just the victim. it made me believe that when a crime is commited, for example between two people, both are victims in their own right. it made me question the system that we have today of just "locking people up" and if there really is a better way to try and maybe halt these kinds of behavior from early childhood.

STIFF: The Secret Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

-this book is just awesome. it taught me of how in so many ways our bodies are put to use to help and even saves lives. Mary does a great job in explaining how cadavers "give back" and i think this is a great, fun, interesting read for anyone who is curious to know more about things/occupations so unspoken of.