Wisdom Books to Rest the Mind
Books where even a single page slows you down. The verses of Rumi, Tagore and Bashō; the calm counsel of Marcus Aurelius and Seneca; Thoreau's cabin in the woods. Books of wisdom, philosophy and poetry to read a few pages of each day and rest your mind.
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1 Book
The Alchemist
An inspiring journey that whispers the courage to seek your own "Personal Legend".
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2 Book
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
A liberating story about pushing past limits and finding your own truth.
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3 Book
Dare to Lead
A guide that teaches how embracing vulnerability is, in fact, the greatest strength.
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4 Book
The Apology of Socrates
Gives a timeless lesson in standing behind your own truths.
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5 Book
Tuesdays with Morrie
Heartwarming lessons on love, time and meaning, learned by a journalist who meets his old professor every Tuesday.
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6 Book
Siddhartha
A tranquil journey in which Siddhartha, searching for his own path, finds peace and wholeness in the voice of the river.
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7 Book
Walden
A tranquil book that shows the value of simple living, nature and inner peace in a cabin by a pond.
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8 Book
Sophie's World
A curious doorway into the fascinating world of philosophy, opened by mysterious questions that land in a mailbox.
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9 Book
Hector and the Search for Happiness
Simple, smile-inducing notes from a psychiatrist who travels the world in search of the secret of happiness.
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10 Book
The Solitaire Mystery
A curious novel in which a magical tale of playing cards weaves into the road story of a father and his son.
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11 Book
The Celestine Prophecy
A curiosity-stirring spiritual adventure that invites us to explore the meaning of coincidences and the energy between people.
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12 Book
Gitanjali
Nobel-winning poems devoted to life, nature and love, each line reading like a prayer of thanks.
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13 Book
The Prophet
Prose poems on love, work, friendship and freedom that fill you with a calm wisdom.
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14 Book
Masnavi
A book of the heart that begins with the story of the reed flute and teaches, through hundreds of wise tales, how to mature through love.
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15 Book
Tao Te Ching
Ancient Chinese wisdom that teaches the strength of being soft and flowing like water, and brings calm to a hurried mind.
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16 Book
Gulistan
A graceful garden of advice, woven from stories of contentment, humility and kindness, read for centuries.
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17 Book
Bostan
A wise verse work that softens the heart with short stories about justice, compassion and gratitude.
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18 Book
The Conference of the Birds
A captivating journey through seven valleys, in which thirty birds seeking the Simurgh find what they seek within themselves.
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19 Book
Fihi Ma Fihi
Lessons in love and understanding, gathered from Rumi's conversations, that touch the heart in plain language.
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20 Book
Divan-e Kabir
A great collection of ghazals dancing with the joy of love, lightening the soul as you read.
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21 Book
Zhuangzi
A cheerful Taoist classic that teaches surrendering to life's flow through butterfly dreams and witty parables.
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22 Book
The Book of Tea
An elegant essay on finding beauty, humility and the value of the moment in the simplicity of a cup of tea.
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23 Book
The Pillow Book
A thousand-year-old court diary that makes you smile, keeping lists of seasons, small joys and lovely things.
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24 Book
Dhammapada
Buddhist wisdom in short, clear verses that counsel compassion over anger and calm over haste.
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25 Book
Beauty and Love
A dreamlike, ornate Sufi tale that reveals Beauty and Love to be, in truth, a single being.
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26 Book
The Divan of Hafez
Shiraz's treasury of poetry, refreshing hearts for centuries with its nightingales, roses and joyful love ghazals.
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27 Book
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
Simple, warm Zen talks that teach the peace of seeing everything as if for the first time.
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28 Book
Zen Flesh, Zen Bones
A pocket-sized collection of wisdom, with tiny Zen stories and koans that make you smile and think.
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29 Book
The Tao of Pooh
A charming book that explains the simplicity of the Tao and the art of going with the flow through the carefree ways of Winnie-the-Pooh.
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30 Book
The Narrow Road to the Deep North
A poetic travel diary of a haiku master's journey on foot, full of the stillness of nature and the seasons.
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31 Book
The Book of Mirdad
An inspiring allegorical work that speaks of universal love and inner transformation through the words of a wise teacher.
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32 Book
İçimizdeki Çocuk
A warm psychology book about making peace with the child within us and understanding ourselves.
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33 Book
Meditations
Timeless notes on calm and virtue, written by an emperor to himself.
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34 Book
The Art of Loving
A classic that shows love is an art, one that can be learned and takes effort.
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35 Book
Pale Blue Dot
A book that looks at our small place in the universe and asks us to treat one another better.
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36 Book
Man's Search for Meaning
A book showing that it is possible to find meaning in life even in the darkest conditions.
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37 Book
Letters from a Stoic
Wise letters to a friend on living a calm and virtuous life.
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38 Book
Enchiridion
A Stoic handbook that teaches us to make peace with what we can control.
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39 Book
Flow
A book about the happiness we feel when we lose ourselves completely in what we are doing.
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40 Book
The Book of Joy
A warm and witty conversation between two wise friends on lasting joy.
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41 Book
The Consolations of Philosophy
A delightful book about the comfort philosophers can offer for our everyday troubles.
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42 Book
Humankind: A Hopeful History
A hopeful book that uses history and science to argue that people are good at heart.
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43 Book
Factfulness
A book that uses data to show the world is getting better than we think.
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44 Book
Atomic Habits
A practical guide to how small steps turn into big changes.
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45 Book
Braiding Sweetgrass
Essays on building a relationship of gratitude with plants and the land.
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46 Book
The Story of My Life
A life that overcame blindness and deafness through love and a passion for learning.
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47 Book
Letters to a Young Poet
Tender letters to a young poet on solitude, patience and looking within.
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48 Book
Essays
Candid, curious essays from a mind trying to understand itself.
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49 Book
King Solomon's Ring
A scientist's observations of the animal world, told with love and humor.
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50 Book
The Man Who Planted Trees
The story of a shepherd who patiently plants trees and brings a barren valley back to green.
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51 Book
The Richest Man in Babylon
Simple advice on patience and thrift, told through tales of ancient Babylon.