7 Books Like The Sun and Her Flowers

Incredible on audio! (Multiple narrators in a documentary-type interview style). The characters are so real.

What are the critical ingredients of creativity? Love? Teamwork? Passion? What can you choose, and what takes you over?

Daisy Jones leaves rock and roll at the pinnacle of her career. Follow her fight to the top, and the fight everyone in the band has to be true to themselves in the midst of the power of sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

The first time I read this book, it took me on a cathartic yet healing journey to the depths of my heart. Following along Noah and Allie’s story showed me how raw, gritty love can be the most catalytic for our personal growth. It’s not always easy–love, romance, partnership–but it sure is worth it. Plus, when a book can reel me in and make me cry just as much as the film adaptation, I’m giving it high marks.

The world continues to witness genocide through many of the decades following World War II. While genocide is the worst tragedy of civilization, human suffering is ubiquitous. Frankl outlines how we can find meaning in the greatest of suffering. He saw three possible sources of meaning: in taking responsible action in work or doing something significant; in love and caring for others; and in courage toward one’s choice of attitude in difficult times. He saw suffering as meaningless, but suffering is given meaning by how we respond to it.

I was deeply affected by this, like she was confiding in me.

Whether her memories were tragic, ugly, hilarious, witty, classy, silly, poignant, or just plain practical, it was like we were sharing a glass of wine and she was telling me everything. 

I loved that she sent me every feeling of the rainbow, and each was felt deeply. I love when a story makes me laugh and cry. It was inspiring and beautiful to spend some time with this poet, reminiscing about her early years, before she was the Maya we know now.

Also, I feel schooled in what it was like to be black in America at that time, and what a gutsy journey she was on. It was an important eye-opener, as well as a warm invitation.

This fascinating and charming book was written by a French magazine editor after he suffered a massive stroke and was locked inside his own body, unable to speak or move. Incredibly, he wrote this book in his mind throughout the day and then each letter was slowly transcribed by blinking his eyes. I kept thinking about this book long after I read it. It’s a nightmare scenario, but he leads us all the way through it. We’re with him as he survives and even finds meaning when almost everything else is lost.

This book was chosen because of the deep, profound love that is displayed throughout the book. It speaks to how vulnerable a person makes themselves when they love deeply and how scary that can be. It also speaks to how you can feel so totally lost in loving another person that you forget to love yourself. I could identify with loving so intensely also and having my heart broken. I also identified with the journey of coming to loving oneself again and with that being open to finding someone better. 

I recommend this book because it places emphasis on women knowing their self-worth. This book also speaks about loving deeply and not having that love given back in return. I could identify with being in relationships that have made me feel unloved and unworthy. I could also identify with having that eye-opening moment when you come to the realization that you are this beautiful, gifted, wonderful human being worthy of having a person in your life who recognizes and truly appreciates you for all that you embody. The takeaway from this book I gained is to never love anyone more than you love yourself.