Posted by Nibor on August 22, 2000, at 17:40:27
In reply to Re: Favorite Self Help books, posted by Cass on August 22, 2000, at 17:23:10
Oh, yes, Their Eyes Were Watching God, one of my all-time favorite books.
Also, The Samurai's Garden, by Gail Tsunamurai, incredibly moving, spiritual, life affirming.
Stones from the River, by Ursula Hegi, way before Oprah spotlighted it.
Same goes for the nonfiction, A Lesson Before Dying, forgot author, something like Leonard? Gaines.
Then one called Faded Coat of Blue, by Owen Parry, a Civil War novel that I happened to work on as a proofreader.
And about 25 more; someday I should list my favorites. Wish I could read more nonfiction; somehow fiction makes me happier--and shouldn't that be what SELF-help does.
Nibor> Okay, it seems like a lot of people have mentioned books that are not defined as "self-help" books in the strictest sense, so I think I will name some too. Many books that I have found personally inspiring are novels written by AfroAmerican women and men. I have been able to relate to the issues of oppression and survival of the spirit. Here are some good ones:
>
> Beloved by Toni Morrison (Non-fiction. IMO, don't see the movie by Oprah Winfrey. It was very disappointing.)
>
> Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
> (Non-fiction. A spirited woman in an all Black town struggles with issues of independence, creativity, racism.)
>
> The Invisible Man (Non-fiction. The author is very famous, but I can't remember his name)
>
> Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane (True story of a man who survives growing up under Apartheid in South Africa then comes to America.)
poster:Nibor
thread:87
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20000813/msgs/162.html