RET’S PICKS
Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams
“For centuries, poets and philosophers extolled the benefits of a walk in the woods: Beethoven drew inspiration from rocks and trees; Wordsworth composed while tromping over the heath; Nikola Tesla conceived the electric motor while visiting a park. Intrigued by our storied renewal in the natural world, Florence Williams sets out to uncover the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain. From forest trails in Korea, to islands in Finland, to groves of eucalyptus in California, Williams investigates science at the confluence of environment, mood, health, and creativity. Delving into completely new research, she uncovers the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and ultimately strengthen our relationships. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas—and the answers they yield—are more urgent than ever.” Read our interview with Florence Williams >
The 12-Hour Walk by Colin O’Brady
Are you ready to live your best life? Invest one day, your best life awaits. The 12-Hour Walk invites you to take a transformative one day journey, an eye-opening experience to conquer your mind and unlock life’s limitless possibilities. 12 hours, unplugged, by yourself. No training necessary. No cost. A new mindset. A life-changing experience. An opportunity to grow. Learn more and take The 12-Hour Walk challenge >
The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter
"Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Healthy, Happy Self. Discover the evolutionary mind and body benefits of living at the edges of your comfort zone and reconnecting with the wild.” Learn more and listen to part of the first chapter >
The Primal Connection by Mark Sisson
The Primal Connection presents a comprehensive plan to overcome the flawed mentality and hectic pace of high-tech, modern life and reprogram your genes to become joyful, care-free, and at peace with the present. You’ll make scientifically validated, highly intuitive connections across the board, emerging with a renewed appreciation for the simple pleasures of life and our most precious gifts of time, health, and love.
The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age by Richard Louve
“The Nature Principle is about the power of living in nature—not with it, but in it. The future will belong to nature-smart—those individuals, families, businesses, and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world and who balance the virtual with the real. The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need.”
ADRIAAN’S PICKS
10% Happier by Dan Harris
“10% Happier gives skeptics an easy “in” to meditation, by taking a very non-fluffy approach to the science behind this mindfulness practice and showing you how and why letting go of your ego is important for living a stress-free life.”
Norwegian Wood by Lars Mytting
“The latest Scandinavian publishing phenomenon is not a Stieg Larsson–like thriller; it’s a book about chopping, stacking, and burning wood that has sold more than 200,000 copies in Norway and Sweden and has been a fixture on the bestseller lists there for more than a year. Norwegian Wood provides useful advice on the rustic hows and whys of taking care of your heating needs, but it’s also a thoughtful attempt to understand man’s age-old predilection for stacking wood and passion for open fires. An intriguing window into the exoticism of Scandinavian culture, the book also features enough inherently interesting facts and anecdotes and inspired prose to make it universally appealing.”
Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
“While the history books are filled with tales of obsessive visionary geniuses who remade the world in their image with sheer, almost irrational force, history is also made by individuals who fought their egos at every turn, who eschewed the spotlight, and who put their higher goals above their desire for recognition. Ego Is the Enemy draws on a vast array of stories and examples, from literature to philosophy to history. We meet fascinating figures such as George Marshall, Jackie Robinson, Katharine Graham, Bill Belichick, and Eleanor Roosevelt, who all reached the highest levels of power and success by conquering their own egos. Their strategies and tactics can be ours as well.”
