OK, OK, I've run out of ideas for Christmas, other than, giving homemade cards and chocolates! Can some folks please share what happens to be the

1. most inspiring / inspirational
2. short but
3. true (!)

story book they have ever read?

Has to be short! Everyone is too busy to attempt a thick one!

May or may not be musical.

It just ocurred to me that it's that bit quicker and easier to shop in Amazon rather than travel into town!

Thanks a LOT!!!

Biographies/autobiographies are always inspirational, however I can't think of any short ones right now.

Chicken soup for the soul are always good too. They can be picked up relatively cheaply and there are a number of different focuses. I have seen ones that focus on: teenagers, kids, preteens, sisters, father and daughter, horse lovers, pet owners, expectant mothers, sisters, and the list just goes on and on. They are a collection of short stories which are very very inspirational on a number of different topics and can benefit a number of different people at once.

Hope this helps.

Er, well, my autobiography hasn't been published yet. But you may have both paragraphs if you like

What do you think of Chicken Soup for the Teacher's Soul? I'm thinking of her 3 teachers including her music teacher. Maybe it's more suitable for the 2 school teachers and not approriate for the music teacher who does not teach a "whole" class? Or perhaps that fact does not matter? Opinions welcomed!

Katyjay, thanks for the offer! Looking forward to the day...

EDIT - My sis gave me a copy of Chicken Soup years ago and it was great! Now that I've checked on the internet, wow, there's such a wide selection to choose from and not just for teachers, it's great!

Hi Tess

It depends what you mean by inspirational - I wouldn't want to define it on someone else's behalf - but three of my favourites, and all excellent in their way, are:

"The Ordeal of Ivor Gurney" by Michael Hurd
"My Life" by Marc Chagall
"Kathleen" by Maurice Leonard (a bit longer, this one, but a good read about Kathleen Ferrier)

Jen

"Girl with a pearl earring" by tracy chevalier is really good! It inspired me to find out loads more about Vermeer. And it's not too long.

haven't thought of much.

I recently read "Into thin air" by John Krakaeur (sp?) which I thought was very well written and interesting as well as short (ish).

Inspiration was not the main theme of the book - it's about a disastrous year when commercial enterprises to the summit of Everest were caught out by the weather, written by one of the survivors of a "package tour walk to the summit". However inspiration was a short term side effect for me; - Krakauer paints the picture of the effort people were going to just to draw breath and stay alive. I sometimes think of this book when I feel too tired to do anything, and remind myself there are several severe layers of tiredness below me. You get the interweaving stories of different survivors/ victims one of whom was left unconscious to freeze to death in a blizzard but through sheer stubbornness found his own way back to camp III (I think).

I found the book rather more rewarding than "Touching the void" which was more narrative and I thought painted the pictures less well.

If the recipient happens to be keen on hillwalking, this book is worth considering.

I've never actually read the teacher's soul one so can't really help there, sorry.