The Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo

Two things about me-I am a very spiritual person and I’m a romantic. I’m one of the those people who is always talking about the energy of a situation or a person. I base a lot of my decisions and interactions on positive vibes and intuition, so when I picked up The Book of Awakening, it resonated with me. Mark Nepo, who is a philosopher and a Cancer survivor, writes this day-by-day book to nourish and enlighten the souls of his readers. In every excerpt, he focuses on taking in our surroundings and reminiscing about times in our childhood, or moments in our past that brought us happiness. He encourages us to meditate on those moments, and forget whatever hardships we may currently be dealing with. His strength from being a survivor is felt on every page; looking beyond his immediate circumstance and finding a sense of happiness is what he tries to evoke to all his readers. This book is a definite read. I’m a fan of daily affirmation books because it helps you start your day on a positive note, so you are capable of dealing with whatever curve ball you may endure that day.

Portraits of Love- The Great Romances of the 20th Century

I’ve had this coffee table book for a few years now, but every time I think of it, I smile. I fell in love with it when I saw it in a Bethesda store window, and I begged my friend, Tamara, to pick it up for me because she lived close by. From Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor to JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, this book outlines the whirlwind romances of the 20th Century. Their love may not have been perfect but it shows how it endured and kept some of these couples together for years. A great coffee book for guests to browse.