Editor’s Note: As Californians continue to stay at home during the Coronavirus crisis, CapRadio Reads has had to postpone some of its live author interviews. Like the rest of the world, we're unsure when those events will return, but in the meantime, we know that books can provide an escape or comfort in trying times. Join Host Donna Apidone as she talks with authors and others about the books that keep us going.

Sometimes we stumble upon what we need. 

I stumbled upon “Good Citizens: Creating Enlightened Society.” Thich Nhat Hanh wrote it, and it’s an interesting twist on his usual lessons. He walks us through the Four Noble Truths and Eight Fold Path, which are tenets of Zen Buddhism, but the book is not about religion. It’s about community - and compassion. 

With new modifications in the next phases of life, it’s easy to wonder how we can make a difference. “Inspiration,” by Wayne Dyer, offers suggestions. Yes, he has a spiritual message, but Dr. Dyer’s approach is so practical that any of us can appreciate it. 

He encourages us to simplify our lives: 

• Keep your free time FREE - we don’t have to fill every minute with places to go and people to see. 
• Make time for yoga, meditation and nature – some activity that feeds your body and your inner self.
• Make time for your health. 
• Slow down – don’t charge back into a hectic lifestyle. 

The Transcendental movement of the early 19th Century produced two prominent writers, Thoreau and Emerson, who explained that individual reflection is a substantial contribution to community. Henry David Thoreau spent his self-imposed isolation in a cabin by a pond, and he wrote about his experience in “Walden,” exploring topics like simplicity and the economy. 

Just a short hike through the woods, Thoreau’s neighbor, Ralph Waldo Emerson, was hosting salons and writing about what inspired him. These staples of high school and college curricula are well worth revisiting. 

What are some of the books you turn to for inspiration? Let me know: [email protected]

The Books 

• “Good Citizens: Creating Enlightened Society,” Thich Nhat Hanh 
• “Inspiration,” Dr. Wayne W. Dyer 
• “Walden,” Henry David Thoreau 
• “Selected Essays, Lectures and Poems,” Ralph Waldo Emerson