There is nothing more seductive than a good book that pulls you in from the very first sentence, the kind that calls to you when you're off, mired in the busy-ness of life. It's an invitation to stop, sit down, and reconnect with our imaginations for a little while.

Here, then, is a list of some favorite books from the folks at CREATIVE SOUP...

WHAT WE'VE BEEN READING LATELY:

		Sciousness edited by Jonathan Bricklin (Suggested by Denise Meyer)
		The Spell of the Sensuous by David Abrams (Suggested by Denise Meyer)
		Evidence of Things Unseen by Marianne Wiggins (Suggested by Denise Meyer)
		Personal Village: How to Have People in Your Life by Choice Not by Chance by Marvin Thomas, MSW "Too much is written about how to make money...too little is written about how to strengthen our personal communities," writes Thomas. In this approachable and action-provoking book, Thomas explains how to add real value to your life by forming deeper, more meaningful relationships with the people in your life that matter most. (Suggested by Jen Payne)
		Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver An excellent book that will expand your horizons about the foods we eat. Kingsolver writes: "This is the story of a year in which we made every attempt to feed ourselves animals and vegetables whose provenance we really knew...and of how our family was changed by our first year of deliberately eating food produced from the same place where we worked, went to school, loved our neighbors, drank the water, and breathed the air." (Suggested by Jen Payne)
		Saving Fish From Drowning by Amy Tam Our narrator dies within the first two paragraphs, but that does not stop her from accompanying her friends as a ghost as they go to Burma. He sharp observations of humanity makes this a delightful book. (Suggested by Doug Mathewson.)
		Was by Geoff Ryman The Wizard of Oz story will never be the same. Follow the real Dorothy’s horrible life. Slip trough time from 19th century Kansas to the present with stops in Judy Garland's dressing room and more. (Suggested by Doug Mathewson.)
		52 McGs. by Robert McG.Thomas Blurb on cover says it all, “The Best Obituaries from the New York Times.” To include, but limited to: Minnesota Fats, Maurice Sagoff,and Charles Goat-man‚ McCatney. (Suggested by Doug Mathewson.)
		Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky  A beautifully written novel about the exodus from Paris after the German invasion of 1940, and life under Nazi occupation. By itself, it presents a poignant tapestry of stories, woven together with lovely prose and thoughtful detail. Knowing the author was unable to complete the intended series of stories because she was arrested and died in Auschwitz makes it even more tragic. (Suggested by Jen Payne)
		The Principles of Uncertainty by Maira Kalman A year-in-the-life, illustrated journal, this is a delightful book to have around. Filled with bold and witty paintings, illustrations and photos, you can't help but laugh out loud at the hand-written stories and notes throughout. Read the whole book--over and over again--or sit it close by and open to any page at whim. It's too fun not to! (Suggested by Jen Payne)
		The Stolen Child Keith Donohue Fairies steal the child so that one of their diminishing number may take his place and return to the world of mortals. A story of friendship, loss, and yearning. (Suggested by Doug Mathewson.)
		Air by Geoff Ryman Geoff Ryman writes incredibly insightful speculative fiction. Our central character uses the wisdom she has gained in northern most China to master our technological world. (Suggested by Doug Mathewson.)
		No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July One of the best short fiction writers in America today. I find Miranda July to be so odd, so quirky and so very engaging from the very first page. (Suggested by Doug Mathewson.)[Check out her fun website]
		Living Out Loud: Activities to Fuel a Creative Life by Keri Smith This little book arrived in my mailbox several months ago and I fell in love with it! There are all sorts of fun projects and things to do. I've become a huge fan of Keri Smith - and an even bigger one of my friend DeLinda who sent the book! (Suggested by Jen Payne)

FOR INSPIRATION
in your creative work, here are some additional suggestions:

Awaken Your Magic, by Dr. Cathy Lomartra
Wild Mind, Living the Writer's Life, Natalie Goldberg
The Decorated Page, Gwen Diehn
The Decorated Journal, Gwen Diehn
South of France: A Sketchbook, Sara Midda
Living Out Loud: Activities to Fuel a Creative Life, Keri Smith
Movements of Magic, The Spirit of T'ai Chi-Ch'uan, Bob Klein
The Magic of Conflict, Turning a Life Work into a Work of Art, Thomas F. Crum
Hidden in the Hand, Frank R. Wilson
Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott
The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron

FOR ADDITIONAL PLEASURE
here are some fiction and non-fiction suggestions:

Doug Mathewson recommends:

Cloud Atlas , David Mitchell
I wish more fiction was written in this unique format. For short fiction it would probably work best in the form of a poem.

Someone Comes To Town Someone Leaves Town, Cory Doctorow
Cory is a cool guy who writes a lot but this is by far his best work  to date.

Kafka On The Shore, Haruki Murakami
It has love, mystery, murder, magic, and a man who talks cats. Murakami writes very goo short fiction as well, but this book remains my favorite.

Nathalie Lewis recommends:
My Name is Red, Orhan Pamuk
The Dream Life of Sukhanov, Olga Gushin
Vol de Nuit, Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Pamela LaRegina recommends:
A Course in Miracles
There Is a River, Thomas Sugrue
Secrets in the Fields, Freddy Silva
The Tao Te Ching
In the Absence of the Sacred, Gerry Mander
Alternative Science, Richard Milton
There Are No Secrets, Wolfe Lowenthal
The Secret, Rhonda Byrne
The Secret Life of Plants, Peter Thompkins and Christopher Bird
Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda

Susan Gallagher recommends:

Resistance, Anita Shreve
This was yet another "stayed up all night to read" book. Reminding me a little of The English Patient. Heartbreaking, romance. "A crashed airline pilot is taken care of by the Resistance in war torn Belgium."

The Professor and the Madman, Simon Winchester
This little gem, based on fact, tells the story of the remaking of the Oxford Dictionary and the relationship between the two men who were the greatest contributors. One was a widely respected professor; the other was a convicted murderer living in an insane asylum in England. Sound strange, and it is; a wonderfully strange but true, story. Plus if you like words and dictionaries, you'll love this.

The Devil in the White City, Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, Eric Larson
I really enjoyed this historical background in this book. I will steal a description from a reviewer for you as I read it quite awhile ago: "This book tells the story of the World's Columbian Exhibition of 1893 which was held in Chicago, and was one of the greatest artistic, engineering, and architectural achievements in American history. And it's about our old friend H. H. Holmes, widely-regarded as America's first serial killer, who built a hotel to lure young fair-goers, of the female variety, to a most grim fate. Strangely enough, it wasn't the chapters of the book that discuss Holmes that I found most interesting. Rather, it was the work of Daniel Burnham and Frederick Olmsted, as the construction supervisor and landscape architect of the fair, that I found fascinating."

The Birth of Venue, Sarah Dunant
Reminds me a little of The Girls With a Pearl Earring, but better. Lush, sensuous, rich in background. 15th century Florence and the Medici family. The story, the coming of age of a 14 year old girl is rich with the colors and textures of the times. Enchanting, beautifully written. A marvelous blend of fact and fiction.

The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Set in post World War II Barcelona. A bookseller's son becomes fascinated with the mysterious author of a book and goes on a quest to investigate his past.

The Sixteen Pleasures, Robert Hellenga
A young woman goes to Florence to help save and protect antique books after a great flood. For anyone interested in the art of book preservation, this is a marvel. In addition there is adventure, romance, intrigue and the discovery of a book of lost erotic sonnets.

The March, E.L. Doctorow

The Dante Club, Matthew Pearl

Bee Season, Myla Goldberg

The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini

Bel Canto, Ann Patchett

Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden

Heartburn, Nora Ephron

Hornet Flight, Ken Follett
June 1941 - Denmark and England - 18 year old Danish boy stumbles across secret German installation – background of his family, the island they live on - beginning of German take over - Resistance movement - A good quick read.

Blessings, Anna Quindlen

Talk Before Sleep, Elizabeth Berg

What We Keep, Elizabeth Berg

Saving Faith and The Camel Club, David Baldacci
I just started reading books by David Baldacci. they are rich with political intrigue, spies, romance murder, mystery and unforgettable characters. I find his books to be a compelling read. The kind you stay up much to late to gobble up more and find out what happens next.

Me Talk Pretty One Day, David Sedaris

Naked, David Sedaris

Running With Scissors, Augusten Burroughs

The Revolution of Little Girls, Blanche McCrary Boyd

The Trial of Maria Barbella, Idanna Pucci
Story of a true account of the first woman who was sentenced to die in the electric chair, sensational trial in New York - 1895, poor Italian seamstress - jilted by her lover, 2 American women come to her support, great visuals of immigrant life, prison life and the court system in late 1800's, told by the great grand daughter of one of the main characters- Cora Slocum, the American born Italian aristocrat who rallied to save Maria's life.

All Books by Diane Ackerman
She amazes me, she makes me pay attention to the exquisite details in life. She sparks my sense of wonder. I could open up to the middle of any one of her books and fall in.

A Natural History of the Senses, Diane Ackerman
Diane Ackerman takes an entire huge chapter on each one of our senses and delves into it, pulling you along with her as she quite literally tells the history of taste, smell, touch, etc.. Who would have guessed words surrounding our sense of smell, could be so captivating. After reading this I would pay attention to just one of my senses each day when doing walking meditation. Also by Ackerman: A Natural History of Love, A Slender Thread, Cultivating Delight.

Aphrodite, A memoir of the Senses, Isabel Allende

The Game of Life and How to Play it, Florence Scovel Shinn

Jen Payne recommends:
Angels & Demons, Dan Brown
Jitterbug Perfume, Tom Robbins
Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Esquirel
The Red Tent, Anita Diamant
The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd
The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger
The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje
Life without Water, Nancy Peacock
The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold
Take the Cannoli, Sarah Vowell
Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison