On Brightland's Bookshelf
Welcome back to On Brightland’s Bookshelf. This monthly series focuses on what interesting people we admire are reading right now. We could all use a reminder to pursue some screen-free time, and reading is one of our favorite analog activities. This month, we are featuring some of our favorite designers from Amarilo Jewelry, Museum of Peace & Quiet, and House of Waris.
Stella Simona is the co-founder and visionary behind the elegant jewelry brands Amarilo and Haati Chai.
A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza
"I just finished A Place for Us. I love the way this author writes. It's a very relatable story for many -- a Muslim Indian family navigating living in California trying to balance both their cultures."
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
"A convicted Australian bank robber and heroin addict escapes from Pentridge Prison and flees to India. It's fiction but recommended by many."
"This is an easy read and poetry is so soothing for the soul. Reading stories that connect me to my South Asian heritage in some sort of way is refreshing."
Ashley Lennon is the co-founder of Museum of Peace & Quiet, a minimal California-based label built on the foundation of comfort and wellbeing.
Wabi-Sabi by Leonard Koren
"It's a wonderful book that addresses wabi-sabi not only as an aesthetic but as a cultural movement, tracing its origins to Zen Buddhism and to the rituals of the Japanese tea ceremony."
Living in the Light by Shakti Gawain
"This shows that numbers have been filled with mystery and meaning since the earliest times, and across every society."
Numerology and the Divine Triangle by Faith Javane and Dusty Bunker
"I’ve always been fascinated with the accessible spiritual wisdom in these books. Books that take the reader on a spiritual journey. I’ve learned that the right book at the right time can help navigate enlightenment along the way."
Waris Ahluwalia is an actor and designer. He is the founder of House of Waris, a company dedicated to exploring design through craftsmanship, and has since extended to House of Waris Botanicals, a line of adaptogenic teas.
The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan Watts
"Maybe not the most lighthearted option but essential reading. Watts spoke about an age of unprecedented anxiety. That was in the 50's and it's only gotten worse. Part of my personal search for ways to be present and not get lost in the noise."
Freedom from the Known by Jiddu Krishnamurti
"Krishnamurti was a writer, philosopher and spiritual teacher. Freedom from the binds we create for ourselves on top of the ones placed on each of us by society."
Partners in Crime by Agatha Christie
"No one does mystery quite like Agatha Christie. She's one of my favorites. What better way to pass the winter months ahead. Plus she balances out my reading list."
