I haven’t always been a lifestyle designer with a zen twist, it had to start somewhere and I can blame it all on a book that probably everyone who is into lifestyle design knows by now. The four hour workweek by Tim Ferris. This book opened my eyes to the possibilities of Internet and changed my view on “work”. This is not the only book however so I’m presenting you with a list of the books that had the biggest influence on me. Some of these I read before I read the 4HWW and although I wasn’t familiar with “lifestyle design” I guess I was already working on it. In no particular order these books are:
Tim Ferris – The four hour workweek
A book dedicated to lifestyle design. Promoting the 80/20 way of thinking and letting me know that my dreams can become real goals. If this book didn’t exist this blog might just have never existed as well. As I said, this book nudged me in the right direction and gave my way of thinking a name.
Shunryu Suzuki – Zen mind, Beginners mind
A small book about zen meditation and real life. This book tells you just about anything you want to know about Zen Buddhism that’s worth knowing. It was my first book specifically about zen and I still think it’s one of the best I have. I started reading about zen roughly two years ago and had my very first zazen meditation session on June 7th 2008. I’ve been meditation a year now and the changes are huge. I’ve become calmer, more focused and everything has become so much clearer.
Tony Buzan – The speed reading book
I bought this book yeas ago to learn how to speed read. Although I haven’t managed to reach my target of 1000 words a minute but my reading definitely got faster because of this book. In this information age we’re constantly bombarded with information, most of it in writing. How many hours a day do you read blogs, articles, websites, books, newspapers? This book has the power to cut your reading time in half easily. Or you could read twice as much in the same time. The normal reading speed for adults is roughly 200-300 words a minute. The record holder is Sean Adams with 3850 words a minute. There is wide gap there, even though you probably won’t reach the 3000 words a minute, even 1000+ words a minute will change your life.
Rolf Potts – Vagabonding, an uncommon guide to the art of long-term world travel
Although I’m not a vagabond (yet) this book showed me that travel doesn’t need to be expensive. I’ve always dreamed of traveling, this book has offered me the tools and tips to make those dreams into goals. I think this is one of the essential books to read for anyone into lifestyle design. And anyone who wants to become a Location Independent Professional (LIP) probably already read this one.
Peter Ralston – The principles of effortless power
This is the book for anyone who is interested in the internal martial arts. It completely changed my thinking about T’ai Chi that I was practicing at the time. I found a Cheng Hsin group (Cheng Hsin being the martial art that Peter developed) near my home and started training there. Although I haven’t trained in over a year now this book and the training changed the way I move. It’s hard to explain this book but if you practice aikido, t’ai chi or any other internal martial art please pick up this book if you haven’t already. You might also want to read this book if you dance for a living or are a physiotherapist.
Karen Kingston – Clear your clutter with Feng Shui
Although I’m not much for Feng Shui this book still provided me with some great insight. It’s this book that initially got me to minimalize my living space. Although it’s not minimal yet I’ve been working at reaching the 100 things I wrote about a few months ago. Do you have clutter in your home or do you know someone who is a clutterbug? This is the book for you. With 183 pages you can easily read this book in an evening. A warning though, if you read this book you will want to clear your clutter right away. It’s addictive.
J.J. Gibbs – Dancing with your books, the zen way of studying
I bought this book when I was struggling with the last part of my bachelor’s degree. Now I think of it and see an underlined passage, this book was the reason I started zazen meditation. The underlined passage: “On practice that should be incorporated into everyone’s program of study is daily meditation… The purpose of meditation is to relax and silence the constant internal dialogue that goes on in our mind so you can devote your full attention to studying.” I bought the book on March 23d 2008 (I have the habit of writing the date inside the book at the same time I write my name in it.) This book will change how you think about studying, it will become fun!
Michael Masterson – Automatic wealth for grads
Together with “Your money or your life” this book changed the way I think about money. I was terrible with money and squandered thousands of euro’s, I have no idea where it all went. But now I have an overview (down to the cent) of all my spendings, assets and liabilities. I live below my means as much as possible and have realized that it’s perfectly possible to eventually reach the crossover point (The point where the income from your invested capital surpasses your monthly expenses, your basic life necessities and all the components of your chosen lifestyle, are covered by your monthly investment income.) within my lifetime. Although both these books are written for people who work (the 9-5 grind) I plan on using the knowledge in this book to reach that point with my freedom business. One of the big goals in my life is reaching this crossover point.
Robert M. Pirsig – Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance
The only novel in my list. If ever a novel had an impact on it’s reader it’s this one. From the back cover “The most explosive book you will ever read!” and I agree. This book will make you think about your thinking and about the world. Although I don’t have much to say about this book, if you haven’t read it yet, please do! This book made me think deeper about everything, taking nothing for granted.
What books influenced your life? What books should we read? Please tell us about the books you think we should read in the comments.
Very nice list.
I’m familiar with a couple of the books you have on here, but I always have to be careful when reading lists like this, as my list of books to read this summer is already into double figures. Some excellent suggestions and I will definitely have to add a couple to the list.
Couldn’t agree with you more about the Four Hour Work Week – it should be right at the very top of any list about lifestyle design. I’d been looking for a book like that for a while when Amazon kindly recommended it to me. I have it as an audiobook and in print and I must have read it 10 times – I love it.
I’ll definitely be looking into some of the more ‘zen’ books in the near future.
p.s. like the new ‘lifestyle design with a zen twist’ thing. Looking forward to reading what you write!
Dan
If you want more suggestions in the “zen” area I could give you a nice list. Those books however dive deeper into zen than the ones on this list and seem a bit strange to read. One example:
Zen in the art of archery by Eugen Herrigel. A brilliant little book. It’s autobiographical and tells how the author learned to practice kyudo. Most people skip it because it’s about archery, there are deeper messages in it however that apply to all fields of practice. If you look around in second hand bookstores you can probably find it for $3 or less. Amazon even has a few cheap ones. It’s only 90 pages and in such a print that you can read it in perhaps two hours.
Okay, one other example (getting carried away here)
Samurai Zen, the warrior koans by Trevor Leggett
A very tough nut to crack “reflecting the earliest manifestation of pure zen in Japan as created by zen masters for their warrior pupils” The title of the book might seem a bit cheesy (I’m suspicious of any book about “warrior”, “samurai” or “Effortless power” for that matter but look beyond the title and discover a real gem.
Mind you however, the list I wrote was in no particular order and thus the 4HWW, although the first book mentioned and in that way at the top of the list isn’t the best book I’ve ever read ;)
Maybe I’ll do a list on “the best books on zen in my collection” one day. (43 books on the subject so far..)
To learn, read
To know, write
To master, teach
Great list! Some of these I have read and others are on my list for future reading.
For zen books I can heartily recommend the books by Brad Warner. His first book, Hardcore Zen, is more autobiographical than the last two which delve more into the philosophy and practice. Mr. Warner is a Soto Zen Priest, hardcore punk bassist, and used to work in Japan on monster movies! Definitely an eclectic background.
I think you would find value in his books.
He’s now on my “to read” list, thanks.
Christiaan ,
I have been reading different books , but this are very new books and never under my glance of read.
Yes I think so you should come up with a new post about some top 20 or 25 zen books .Looking forward for that read .
Regards
Sudeep
I’m so getting Pott’s Vagabonding and may get Principles of Effortless Power for someone’s ….. yea… you know.
How did you like Zen and Motorcycle Maintenance? Sounds like an interesting combination…
LP
Motorcycle maintenance is actually two stories in one. It’s autobiographical as well. Pirsig was once a teacher until he got mentally ill. In the book he takes a long motorcycle vacation with his son through the region where he used to teach. The first story is what happens on the vacation, the second part is what happened before he left is teaching job. He was teaching “quality” and trying to define what quality was. There is some motorcycle maintenance in the book, some indirect zen and a lot of talk on quality and human thought.
A very nice book with just over 400 pages. One of those books I think everyone should have read.
Sure thing, but it will take some time to make a nice list and to write about every book there. I can’t tell you what the ETA is going to be but it will be here one day.
An interesting and diverse list! There are a few that I haven’t heard of, and some that are like familiar friends. I’m an avid reader myself, reading on average a book a week – I love audio books as well.
There are many books that have affected me throughout the years (as a good book will), but a few stand out as profoundly affecting me…
- The Four Insights by Alberto Villoldo
- There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem by Wayner Dyer
- The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield (fiction but the message was powerful)
So…can we expect reviews of these books?
Andy Andrews also has great messages in his books.
“The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are” by Alan Watts. amazing.
Did’t he also write “The Way of Zen?”
Another book for my to-read list, thanks
Thanks for the great suggestions. I, too, have heard of some of the books on the list but not all. I’ve got to take it one day at a time, but maybe one of these books will find their way onto my reading list soon!
Just check out your list. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is one book I have always wanted to read. I like the title.
Chick J