It all started with one of my phenomenal Goodwill journeys and my search for more hidden literary gems among the mobs of Danielle Steel and how-to books. After searching through books on how I could maximize my plywood construction skills and sailing technique, and to my enjoyment obtaining a couple of classics along the way, one of my friends came across a very unsuspecting, brown hardcover book called Words To Live By.
Now after a small discussion about what each of our predicted uses of this book would be, I became the likely owner of the newly discovered book, and possibly saved it from a secondhand life of leveling furniture and becoming fireplace tinder. I then added this book to my bibliotheca, now growing sizable with cast off and pre-loved books.
Since this book consisted of various contributors I was unsure if the content would be worthwhile, but my doubts were quickly dismissed after reading the introduction and the very first excerpt called “Start Living!” I was hooked and aware that this might become a publication which I simply would never want to relinquish.
This title is filled with numerous, short writings by over 90 various figures from throughout the 20th century, with the likes of John Steinbeck, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Walt Disney. I highly recommend picking up this book if found at a used book store or yard sale, and if you don’t want to search for it then it should easily be able to be procured from a site such as Amazon or other various internet destinations. There is a link at the bottom of the post for reference to the book which is authored by William Nichols.
Now for this series I will discussing the various topics of the book and only be posting small portions and quotes of the already short sections, so I urge you to pick it up to read it in its entirety.
For a little more back story about the origination of the book. In 1947, This Week magazine started a series called “WORDS TO LIVE BY”, which seemed fitting for Americans who were adjusting to life after WWII. After much series success, various pieces from the magazine column were collected and used in the formation of the book. There are four main parts of this book, which deal with different relationship areas of life, and a few other sections dealing with different life philosophies. The four main sections are listed below.
1. Living With Yourself
2. Living With Other People
3. Living With The World
4. “It Goes On!” (Dealing with God and the infinite)
I will conclude this introduction post with a quote from one of the opening pages of Words To Live By and I very much hope that you enjoy this new series.
“No one saves us but ourselves;
No one can and no one may,
We ourselves must walk the Path,
Teachers merely show the way.”
– Nancy Wilson Ross,
“The Return of Lady Brace”
Life, keep it simple and live it
Josh