I started re-reading Knitting Heaven and Earth the other day (the link goes to the Square-Peg-People review of the book). I forgot how much I liked this book!
The subtitle is: Healing the Heart With Craft - it's written by Susan Gordon Lydon (who helped found Rolling Stone magazine) - and it rocks!
It doesn't teach knitting technique or offer patterns, but it does talk about love (and addictions and cancer and lots more), including this bit:
"...the love that has ultimately saved me. Love of self. An ability to cultivate and obey your own deepest instincts. A fierce protection of your own time and desires."
I'm not at the end (in this reading of the book) yet, but I know that the last words in the book are:
"This moment is all there is. And it's enough."
How can a book that ends like that not be wonderful? Well, I bet there are plenty of ways a book could end that way and still suck - but this book is great reading!
I knew the last line because I read it in a book review I'd written - which is how I came to be re-reading the book. MUCH easier to look through my own reviews to decide what I want to hunt for on the bookshelves, than to try to hunt through double and triple-stacked piles of books first!!
Speaking of which, if YOU'd like to read through reviews of encouraging (or inspiring or funny) books - ones that I consider Square-Peg positive (no dogmatic "my way or the highway" stuff) - there are a number of them (nicely sorted by theme!) at Square-Peg Book Reviews.
p.s. You don't need to love knitting or yarn to love the Knitting Heaven and Earth book (I read that in the book review, too).
p.p.s. Hey, what are YOU reading right now? Is it a re-read??
Ooooo, that book sounds awesome! Will have to add it to my "to-read" list On Good Reads. I've made a personal goal of reading 40 books this year. So far I'm on book #3!!!
Posted by: Teryll | Monday, 17 January 2011 at 02:29 PM
I bet you'll have NO trouble meeting your goal - January isn't even over yet, and with 12 mos. to a year - well, hey!!
And Teryll, this book is SHORT! I've got to get over to Good Reads to see what you've got to say - I could use some good suggestions.
Posted by: Square-Peg Karen | Monday, 17 January 2011 at 02:44 PM
This is such awesome timing. I'm writing about knitting today (once I get my other morning chores squared away). It's absolutely healing for me, too, so this book has officially gone on my pick-that-up list.
Also, thanks so much for stopping by yesterday! My blog-partner didn't participate in Reverb10 but I love that her posts get the benefit of the extra readership too.
Posted by: Kim | Wednesday, 19 January 2011 at 08:57 AM
Way cool, Kim! I'm going to hop over later to see if you got a chance to write your knitting post! Glad the book appeals to you.
And you're welcome about my stopping by - my pleasure!
Posted by: Square-Peg Karen | Wednesday, 19 January 2011 at 04:40 PM
Sarah's Key - MUST READ!!!!!!!!!!!! I just started The Dirty Girl too by Kristin Kimball, it's a memoir on food, farming and love.
Posted by: Teryll | Wednesday, 19 January 2011 at 05:26 PM
hey, beautiful. I have such a stack "at or near my bed" that last night I couldn't take it any more. The stack that was JUST. ON. TOP. OF. MY. BEDSIDE. CHEST. - that one - is now swept (carefully, carefully) into a BOX next to the window. I should photograph it, because I do this maybe 3 times a year, and sooner than I'd hope for, it's all stacked high again. Hiding the marble top, making it 'crazy-making' for me. ANYWAY - what's there right now? The Catholic One-Year Bible; The Gifts of Imperfection (Brene Brown); Prayers for Sale (Sandra Dallas); etc etc etc. Oh, and Time Management: A Catholic Approach. A wild mix, to be sure. :-) there's far more than those, but .. let me say: I so agree with Teryll - Sarah's Key - it's one that sticks with you forever after (how could it not, right, Teryll?). I'll trade my list with you, if you'll trade yours with me, Karen. HAPPY NEW YEAR; here's to reading hundreds of books in 2011. xo - Davi
Posted by: Davielle Huffman | Friday, 21 January 2011 at 10:35 AM
and just to slip in one more comment ... i do like to re-read my favorites - THE SHELL SEEKERS by Rosamunde Pilcher is one. :-)
Posted by: Davielle Huffman | Friday, 21 January 2011 at 11:00 PM
I have The Knitting Sutra...you might enjoy that one too Karen...she was a remarkable woman of courage and strength.
Posted by: Laura Hegfield | Saturday, 22 January 2011 at 10:10 AM
That's one I never heard of, Teryll (Sarah's Key) - going on my list!! And I love the title The Dirty Girl - lol - Thanks!
Posted by: Square-Peg Karen | Saturday, 22 January 2011 at 04:02 PM
Davi, so YOU know that book too - hmmm. I think it needs to go HIGH on my list!!!
Hey, there's an idea -- sweep the books up - how come I never think of things like that? Mine keeping climbing higher and higher til I'm in danger of an avalanche!
Posted by: Square-Peg Karen | Saturday, 22 January 2011 at 04:04 PM
So glad you added another comment - that's another book I don't know of -- thanks!
Posted by: Square-Peg Karen | Saturday, 22 January 2011 at 04:05 PM
Haven't read The Knitting Sutra, Laura - but I definitely plan to. I love Susan Gordon Lydon's writing. Now I'm wondering if you knew her, or knew of her aside from her books?? She sure does sound like a "woman of courage and strength"!!
Posted by: Square-Peg Karen | Saturday, 22 January 2011 at 04:06 PM
That’s an interesting book right there. I bet it will capture the eyes of many readers especially because of those meaningful lines you’ve shared. The final words even make me more interested, and that makes me really thrilled to read this from that beginning to end. I think this will become a hit once it’s readable on iPad through the E-book database.
Posted by: Neil Poirer | Friday, 06 July 2012 at 03:21 PM