[Magdalen] Books for mind, heart and spirit, wounded and otherwise

[Susan Hagen]

I would like your help on a project.  I work at a state psychiatric
hospital that houses adults with serious mental health problem and
often co-occurring substance abuse issues.  A few months ago I was
talking to our chaplain and we got to talking about books.  One of the
programs she runs is a spiritual reading group for some of our higher
functioning patients.  They meet several times a week for an hour to
sit quietly and read.  They can choose from bibles (TANAKHs, Korans
too), devotional books, books on spirituality and world religions.  We
have people from pretty diverse backgrounds, Christian, Jew, Muslim,
secular, probably other religions.  Pastor Cynthia says that many
struggling with questions about what it means to be a human, and a
human facing adversity and suffering.  One book she frequently offers
them is Viktor Frankls classic, Man's Search for Meaning.  She said
that some are willing and able to engage with pretty demanding books.

I love books as I know do many of us here.  I had been trying to hold
myself together through the holidays so promised myself that if I got
all the holiday stuff done I could go through my 'life lists' and put
together a collection to donate to the hospital spirituality program.
I took in four cartons of my favorites, books I love that have been
helpful to me.  I would love to hear recommendations from the rest of
you.  What are the books that have helped you make sense of life, the
universe and everything?  I'll be glad to share my list but at the
moment it's in a Word document in table format and I'll have to reduce
it to plain text to post it.
Thanks,
Susan

-- 
The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among
you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the
land of Egypt.
Leviticus 19:34