Another day, three more books.

This time I was just browsing, waiting for another store to open.

The first book that levitated into my hands was The Last Samurai by Helen DeWitt. I noticed it yesterday, today I was vulnerable. Later in the day I began reading it, while waiting for new tires on the car. This is starting out as a rare find. The first 50 pages are brilliant. It is very witty and clever and very funny. This will be another book I will savor, but it may not lend itself to note taking.

Then I noticed one copy of Italo Calvino's "Six Memos for the Next Millennium".Leah F. had lent me a copy earlier this year (see notes begining on February 17). This book is a classic, one I will want to return to, and now I can.

Finally, I noticed a book called "The Tao of Inner Peace" by Diane Dreher which looked to be clear and well written. Here are a few sentences from this book:

• "According to the Tao, what matters is not the situation, but the way we percieve it." [p. 5]
• "A Tao person is someone who recognizes and works with the patterns of nature." [p. 5]
• "Tao people are natural problem solvers. ... a Tao person realizes that conflict is natural, that life constantly evolves through cycles of change." [p. 5]
• "Tao people realize life has many options." [p. 6]
• "... people become so busy blaming others and defending their egos that they forget to solve the problem." [p. 6]
• "There are always more than two alternatives." [p. 9]
• "The Tao encouragges us to be spontaneous, to follow our natural inclinations, to keep on learning, and to watch the changing patterns within and around us. Remember, nothing in the universe stands still. We are evolving souls." [p. 11]
• "Tao people are flexible, spontaneous, and optimistic. They have an active sense of humor, a deep love of life." [p. 13]
• "Tao people accept themselves as they are." [p. 15]
• "Tao people are detached and nonjudgmental. They act with clarity and precision because they don't waste time criticizing others. ... Detachment doesn't mean turning a cold shoulder to the world. ... It means transcending ego. ... Watching life's changing panorama with patience, acceptance, and good humor. ... 'We're all here to learn.'". [p. 17]
• " 'Tao people never try. They do.' ... trying is only a half-hearted attempt." [p. 19]
• "Lao Tzu opposed rigid rules and enforced courtesy, affirming instead the path with heart. Following the Tao means to live compassionately, intuitively, flowing with the present moment." [p. 20]
• "Tao people do not subordinate themselves to a group or institution." [p. 20]
• "Pessimism is a waste of time (Norman Cousins)" [p. 21]
• "Make it a point today to give full attention to something for at least half an hour". [p. 22]
• "The Tao cannot be reduced to names and formulas. ... Like the Tao, we cannot be reduced to categories." [p. 26]