Tolstoy and the purple chair : my year of magical reading / Nina Sankovitch

On the cliff -- Crossing the bridge -- Return to the bookmobile -- Such beauty in the world -- In search of books and time -- Rearranging the rhythms -- The only balm to sorrow -- Looking for the star -- Finding another change -- To welcome the interloper -- Hearing words I'd missed before -- Where warmth is found -- The expansion of experience -- Bound to the world -- Sex by the book -- The man in my dreams -- Offering a better view -- Fireflies dancing across the lawn -- The answers that mysteries provide -- Discovering purpose in kindness -- Coming off Loulou's motorcycle -- Tolstoy in my purple chair -- Complete list of books read, from October 28, 2008, to October 28, 2009.

After the death of her sister, Nina Sankovitch found herself caught up in grief, dashing from one activity to the next to keep her mind occupied. But on her forty-sixth birthday she decided to stop running and start reading. There were obligations she couldn't put on hold-a husband, four kids, three cats, and piles of dirty laundry-but everything else would have to wait. Sankovitch devoted herself to reading a book a day: one year of magical reading in which she found joy, healing, and wisdom. With grace and deep insight, Sankovitch weaves together poignant memories from her family's history with the unforgettable lives of the characters she reads about. She finds a lesson to be learned in each book, ultimately realizing the ability of a good story to console, inspire, and open our lives to new places and experiences-reading as therapy. In an era when we are constantly bombarded by technology and instant gratification is the norm, Tolstoy and the Purple Chair is a reminder of the wisdom to be found in books and proof of the all-encompassing power and delight of reading.