Why a website about books?

Books are some of the greatest treasures in my life. They have allowed me to gain insights, and wisdom from people whom I have never met. I have once heard books described as portals, doorways into other dimensions. I suppose this characterization is accurate as books function not only as repositories of knowledge, wisdom, history, archetype, and story but as conduits into the minds of individuals and collectives. They allow access into other realms. They peel open the fabric of reality and reveal hints and glimmers of transcendent truths, objective morality, and elevated modes of being. They can transport us across time and space.  They plant seeds of interest, which germinate into changes of mind and perception.

I have decided to create this website which keeps an ongoing list of books that I have read for several reasons. For one it will serve as a tangible reminder of the many lessons, and internal journeys of the mind I have taken while reading these books. Second, I think that many of the insights, wisdom, and morals embedded in some of these books if taken seriously and integrated into one’s life can increase goodness in the world and add depth to one’s life. If reading just one of these books challenges a single person’s ideas, gives them a new understanding into an aspect of morality they had never considered, or simply embeds a curiosity and marvel of this world I will have considered this website a success. It is impossible to know how our actions reverberate throughout reality. It is both terrifying and inspiring to know that every single thing we do seemingly small or big can echo throughout the world in ways not immediately accessible to us. With this in mind I am hopeful that putting up this website will spark interest and curiosity amongst friends, family, and associates. 

 I am forever grateful to the authors of these books for undertaking the difficult task of ordering their thoughts into written word. I would also like to give a special thank you to my mom whom I credit for instilling in me a love of reading. I did not enjoy books as a child and was more interested in romping around the desert and being satisfied with a purely earthly existence. In order to plant the seed that would encourage me to enjoin both my experiences in this world with things that are non-material such as ethics, ideas, and internal journeys my mom decided to bribe me one summer. She made a deal with me that for every book I read, if I wrote a paragraph about it and discussed it with her she would purchase me a hot-wheels car, my favorite toy at the time valued at about a dollar. Little did I know at the time that I was the one being played. Thank you, mom, for tricking me into a much deeper, richer, and fulfilling way of life. Additionally, I would like to thank my father whose greatest gift to me has always been encouraging me to be my own man, think my own thoughts, and travel my own road. Mom, Dad you are both so dear to me.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge and dedicate this website to my wife Lindsey. My cup truly overfloweth with you in my life. You are truly a woman of valor who has been the single biggest influence in my life. You challenge me to develop my character, live my convictions, and give great meaning to my life. It is truly a blessing to be on this journey with you and I look forward to writing our own stories, continuing to become one, and striving to live a deep, and meaningful life together. Hopefully, the laughs will continue to pile up along the way as well. It is an utter joy to be your husband.

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The following is a list of books that I have read beginning in January 2020. May you find in these books  curiosity, glimmers of hope, tales of adventure, intimations of the beyond, the enduring human spirit, the divine spark that lies within each of us, the transcending of hardship, and many other expressions of mankind’s experience in this world. Grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and let the journeys begin!

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-Michael Kolikant

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