From the beautiful human, Will Schwalbe, who brought us THE END OF YOUR LIFE BOOK CLUB, comes his newest embrace to books, BOOKS FOR LIVING. This book is a gorgeous compilation about books that have greatly moved him at various points in his life, followed by a poignant story about where and when he read them, and what he gleaned from the book at that moment that helped him in one way or another, and continues to, to this day. What Schwalbe does, so carefully and so well, is to show us how books, from our past as well as new, can guide us, whether we realize it or not. He also helps us see how books can open a whole new world, right from the chair where we are reading them. They take us on journeys, connect us with others, help heal our hearts, keep someone’s memory alive, seek understanding, perhaps find forgiveness in our hearts, and know hope.Regardless of how many books recommended or referenced in the book that speak to you, and trust me, there will be plenty, get ready to hit the nearest bookstore hard. You will no doubt come away with an abundance of messages and memories of your own, from the books that you have read, in your childhood and just last month.I love that Schwalbe points out that reading is “a respite from the relentlessness of technology.” Other than when I am reading on my Kindle, I am unplugged. I concentrate on reading. No phone, no laptop, no TV, and no music. I am all in on that book. He goes on to say much more on this subject and how it allows him to rejuvenate in a way. While reading is a solo expedition, it allows you to gain knowledge, which then gives you something to talk about with friends, your book club, or colleagues. To have lively discussions. “Good books often answer questions you didn’t even know you wanted to ask.”I found it validating that the author talks about fiction with such high regard when he stated “[f]iction doesn’t exist to change us for the better, but I believe it almost always does. Fiction opens us up.”One of my favorite gifts that Schwalbe points out comes from the book WONDER. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I will leave it to you to read on your own. Suffice it to say, it is beautiful.Another really lovely message that Schwalbe shows us is one that seems so simple, but he shows us how powerful it truly is – to ask others ‘what are you reading?’ He shares an example of a grandmother and her grandson who don’t seem to connect much anymore. But when the grandmother asks her grandson what he is reading and then starts to read the same book, well, now they have something that they can talk about. Engage with each other on the same level. What a breakthrough. Imagine if we could all do this with people whom we have a hard time connecting with. Imagine world leaders talking about the latest Harry Potter book.There is one book, mentioned throughout, that I am eager to read, THE IMPORTANCE OF LIVING by Lim Yutang, which Schwalbe sums up that it “is about the need to slow down and enjoy life. And, it is about the importance of books and reading.” He goes on to use the wisdom from this book and the author’s philosophy by adding: “And reading all different kinds of books is not simply reading all different kinds of books; it’s a way of becoming more fully human and more humane.”Mr. Schwalbe, you have captured everything that I love about reading. You have opened up my mind to even more ideas and books that I would never have known. If I were to get a tattoo or even a bumper sticker, neither of which is in the cards for me, it would be the last two lines of your book.