The Book Club: October Edition

Happy Halloween, book fiends! Hope you have a spooktacular time reading our October recommendations.

Jiya's recommendation: It’s interesting how certain books have a way of reappearing in our lives. Reality Transurfing by Vadim Zeland is one such work for me. I first discovered it years ago, and though it remained in the background, it never quite faded away. This October, I felt drawn back to it, perhaps nudged by some underlying intuition.

Zeland’s perspective challenges traditional views on reality. He proposes that we are not passive recipients of our circumstances but rather have the power to shift and shape our own worlds by aligning with the “space of variations” essentially, the limitless potentialities existing in parallel. Unlike many self-help books that advocate solely for positive thinking, Reality Transurfing encourages a blend of intention and non-attachment, acknowledging life’s dualities while urging readers to maintain an unwavering connection to their own goals. As someone who reads a lot of self-help and non-fiction, I have noticed a pattern which pushes the notion of positive thinking, whereas Zealand uses a different approach.

I find that Zeland’s approach resonates particularly in today’s age of manifesting and the law of attraction. However, where those philosophies sometimes verge on fantasy, Reality Transurfing feels grounded in pragmatic spirituality. Zeland emphasises balancing our energy with practical actions, guided by an inner “heart-mind” harmony, which he claims is key to realising our highest potential. I still have not figured out a lot of it and still can't grasp my head around the 'validity of it all, after all being critical and questioning things is a good thing despite what society may push toward you.

Revisiting this book reminds me that growth is often nonlinear. There’s wisdom in returning to ideas that may not have fully clicked initially, as fresh perspectives can unlock new layers of understanding. As I continue my journey with Reality Transurfing this month, I looked back at my growth as a person, realising that my perspective has shifted, from someone who used to believe in everything wholeheartedly to someone who now believes with a hint of criticism. One thing I will always believe is in the power to change our own realities, which is what Reality Transurfing is essentially about - so it is a recommendation from me.

Arya's recommendation: “The Silence of the House feels charged with expectation as I write these words. It seems to be waiting for something extraordinary to happen” - Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke. 

This is a weird book. It is about a man named Piranesi who lives in a strange House of oceans and clouds. He doesn’t know exactly who he is, why he is here, or what the House is at all, but he is determined to find out.

I read it last year and it has been on my mind recently, begging for a re-read. The story reveals itself gradually, through Piranesi’s investigations and discoveries. It’s touching, melancholy, and beautifully written. Perfect for fans of magical realism. Books with similar tone and atmosphere are Lonely Castle in the Mirror, by Mizuki Tsujimura, and The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Clarke’s prose, however, sets Piranesi apart from these examples, as it is quite sophisticated and sometimes deliberately obtuse in order to conceal mysteries and philosophy. 

“I saw a vision! In the dim Air above the grey Waves hung a white, shining cross. Its whiteness was a blazing whiteness; it far outshone the Wall of Statues behind it. It was beautiful but I did not understand it. The next moment brought enlightenment of a sort: it was not a cross at all but something vast and white, which glided rapidly towards me on the Wind.”