For the Readers: 7 Nonfiction Books I’ve Recently Read and Deeply Appreciated
Article Published for The Reinvention Series —Written by Our Editorial Director Casey Balon
Today, Casey is sharing 7 of her favourite recent nonfiction reads. She’ll also be sharing insight into how these books have impacted her writing, approach to creative expression, and experience of life.
Written by Casey Balon
The Holy Grounds of Readership.
Finding that perfect book is a personal practice. As creatives—as readers—we each seem to have unique relationships not only with books themselves but with the book buying process. The potent allure of old bookshops, the smell of vintage reads, the narrow passageways in bookstores… they speak to us in different ways.
Then there’s the actual ritual of gathering our newfound paperbacks, packing them up, and bringing them home. Some of us choose to introduce them to the other stories right away; some of us lay them on the counter or the coffee table to let them breathe; the most nimble of us usher them straight to the beach or café or bedside table to devour them immediately.
For many readers, the unfolding of this routine touches sanctified grounds.
We may not be traversing the depths of literary habits nor ceremonies in this article, but we are sharing 7 nonfiction books that have left an impression on us.
Photo by Markus Spiske
Here are the seven books we are covering (and linking) in this article:
*click below to navigate directly to the section you wish to read
1. The Way of Integrity by Martha Beck (Finding the path to your true self)
2. Enchantment by Katherine May (Awakening wonder in an anxious age)
3. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (Creative living beyond fear)
4. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (Some instructions on writing and life)
5. Human Design by Jenna Zoe (The revolutionary system that shows you who you came here to be)
6. The Source of Self-Regard by Toni Morrison (Selected essays, speeches, and meditations)
7. Combo: The Artist’s Way Starter Kit by Julia Cameron (A spiritual path to higher creativity)
8. Bonus: The Daily Laws by Robert Greene (366 meditations on power, seduction, mastery, strategy, and human nature)
Photo by Briana Tozour
The Way of Integrity by Martha Beck: finding the path to your true self
beck’s 2021 instant bestseller was described by glennon doyle as “equal parts comforting and challenging,” and i would add liberating and confronting. one of the MOST potent practices i have ever implemented was the “integrity cleanse” offered this book. whenever i have found myself in a moment of disconnection (searching for reminders of how to get where i’m going), i have returned back to these pages—ones which have served as a gentle, yet deliberate, walk back home.
Book #1) Link to The Way of Integrity
Enchantment by Katherine May: awakening wonder in an anxious age
katherine may’s prose read like butter and poetry and coffee on a sunday morning—awakening every cell in my body, coaxing every sensation i have yet to allow. i cannot help but feel her work. she says simple things like, “just after lunchtime when I was a child, my grandmother would sit down to eat an orange, and peace would fall over the house.” and it makes me want to weep. she says profound things like, “i want my son to inhabit deep terrains as his birthright.” and i don’t know what to do with myself, so i just keep reading.
Book #2) Link to Enchantment
Photo by Clay Banks
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert: creative living beyond fear
liz’s body of work, her story, and her voice have had an immense impact on the relationship i have with my creative expression, my writing, and my relationship to my internal compass. so what does one say about a book that has shifted the trajectory of their life? well, gilbert’s heart-led expertise in the realms of creativity and brave living will light the spark in anyone. the first time i read big magic was 8 years ago; i remember my original copy being absolutely filled with highlighted text, sticky notes, and penned margins. i’ve read it several times since that inaugural adventure with liz, as well as tuned into her original podcast on magic lessons, and i still find myself coming back to the simplicity of her teachings. here’s how goodreads describes it: “a balance between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the ‘strange jewels’ hidden within each of us. she offers insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration and asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering.”
Book #3) Link to Big Magic
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott: some instructions on writing and life
anne has a way of poking fun immediately after weaving rumi’s poignant work into the conversation, “God’s joy moves from unmarked box to unmarked box.” whenever i am fighting with my writing, i return to her sage advice. when i have revisited this book, i’ve always walked away feeling at least a little bit lighter—reassured, on track. it’s a MUST side table keepsake for writers.
Book #4) Link to Bird by Bird
Photo by Thought Catalog
Human Design by Jenna Zoe: the revolutionary system that shows you who you came here to be
in my opinion, there are few people who present human design knowledge as simply and clearly as jenna zoe does. the way she writes is the way she speaks. the “energy” and “profile types”, “sign” and “not-self”, and “gifts” are ordered in an intuitive fashion. (i have bookmarked my own, revisiting my “authority” and “strategy” as often as i feel drawn to do so). this is a perfect companion to more complex texts and teachings on human design.
Book #5) Link to Human Design
The Source of Self-Regard by Toni Morrison: selected essays, speeches, and meditations
i remember sitting around the campfire; it was nearly 11pm, and i was reading an essay from this collection to my family. i could not help but burst with appreciation for her work, for her life, for what she has illuminated within our culture, for what she has given to her readers. the book lands just as my copy’s insert describes: “one of the most celebrated and revered writers in the history of American literature gives us a new nonfiction collection—a rich gathering of her essays, speeches, and meditations on society, culture, and art, spanning for decades.”
Book #6) Link to The Source of Self-Regard
Photo by Social Cut
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron: a spiritual path to higher creativity
participating in the artist’s way has changed the trajectory (and depth) of my creative pilgrimage, as well as that of so many of my past clients (whom i always recommended journey with this work on their own). the starter pack provides an extra journal for performing ‘morning pages’. the artist’s way on it’s own is perfect too, providing the quintessential healing path (and daily exercises!) for higher creative expression.
Book #7) Links to The Artist’s Way and The Artist’s Way Starter Kit
Bonus: The Daily Laws by Robert Greene: 366 meditations on power, seduction, mastery, strategy, and human nature
i’ve always felt drawn to read greene’s work on seduction, mastery, and power, yet they are hefty books! this daily edition presents digestible, bite-sized lessons (one for each day of the year) on all his most intriguing parts of his work, which allows me to discern if each lesson resonates with me and focus on integrating it into my life when it really speaks to me. while this ‘bonus’ recommendation is a daily read more than a coherent book, in my eyes—implementation is everything… so i hold a deep appreciation for the way this piece is presented.
Book #8) Link to The Daily Laws
Photo by Becca Tapert
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Article Written by Casey Balon, Editorial Director of Casey Jacque
Casey is a writer based outside of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. With a heart for literary journalism, an appetite for adventure, and a spark for creating dynamic — and deeply collaborative — environments, her aim is to bring Genuine Voices back to the Creative Table. When she’s not carrying out an interview, or writing about Creative Vitality through the lens of the body, you can find her hiking with her dogs, regenerating with her fiancé, diving deep with dear friends, or exploring a new country.
Let’s Connect: Instagram @iamcaseybalon, e-mail casey@caseyjacque.com
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