Books I am reading in times of "Crisis"

As you know I have to read for my work and my soul every day. I interview people all the time and try to read books cover to cover before I talk to them. One of my upcoming interviews on Latina Voices is Abel Garcia who wrote "Market Yourself back to the top!"
Basically Garcia, who has a lot of experience as a headhunter says we have to look at ourselves as a product or service so we have to come up with a dynamic personalized marketing program. (I guess this is better than being an object!) All I can say about this book is that it has useful information. I don't know if it works and frankly I don't want to find out, but seriously, any information that can help us stand out, I welcome.
Another book I have been reading to keep with international relations and the US role in the world is The Post American World. The author, CNN correspondent Fareed Zakaria originally from India, ends the book with a quote I am paraphrasing and I feel says a lot about the greatness of America. "For America to thrive in this new and challenging era....it should be the place that is inviting, and exciting to the young student who enters the country today as it was for me."
(This of course applies if we don't make it harder than it already is for legal immigrants to come to America, which is not the case in the latest stimulus package. )
America, I agree with Zakaria is the most universal nation in the world. (I have lived in 7 different countries and visited 50 and from my own personal experience this is a fact)
We are a nation of immigrants where people can mix, work together and share common dreams. We have values that the rest of the world envies but we have to get back to those values and affirm our own ideals. "America can't freelance when it suits its purposes" says Zacharia, because then all the other emerging powers such as China, India, Brasil can also bend the rules and thus destabilize the whole world. I found the book pragmatic in its assessment of US power. Do we want to be the only superpower or an honest broker where "we share power, create coalitions, build legitimacy and define the global agenda." I venture to say, I prefer the latter.

For Living Smart I recently read the Muhammad Yunus book on Creating a World Without Poverty. Social Business and the Future of Capitalism. I was preparing for my interview with Elizabeth Vallette an Iraq war veteran and a microfinance advocate who wants to see America use its soft power as well as its hard power to influence the world. What I enjoyed most about this book is how comprehensive anti poverty programs have to be besides the microlending aspect of them to truly lift the poor out of poverty. Yunnus was the first to realize we can lend to the poor but we also have to create a social network for them to survive and thrive. Does the term we are all interconnected ring a bell?

I also read the Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: and other stories from a child psychiatrist's notebook. This book was written by Living Smart guest Dr. Bruce Perry M.D. Phd and Maia Szalavitz. The book is very well written but this is not an easy read because of the subject matter. I am still astounded at how cruel people can be with children. Dr. Perry who is the government consultant for childhood trauma in incidents such as 9/11, Branch Davidians, Columbine shootings, Katrina etc. shares the most horrific stories about traumatized children, but in the end, we learn what it takes to heal these children. Believe it or not, a permanent, loving, fully present adult can make a big difference. No therapy in the world can take the place of that. On our show Dr. Perry explains the importance of adult relationships for children. The book also introduces us to Mama P. a foster mother whose only weapon is consistent, permanent, repetitive, nurturing love.

Finally a book that is not difficult to read but is extremely uplifting by Paul Ferrini "Grace Unfolding" The art of living a Surrendered Life. It speaks for itself. Ferrini says "as we surrender to the truth of our being, we learn to relinquish the need to control our lives, figure things out, or predict the future. We let go of our judgements and interpretations and accept life the way it is."
My favorite quote in that book is "If we are going to be successful in our lives, we need to cultivate our ability to be present and alert." Basically what I get out of this little book is that we have to live the moment, the now, the present, period. Why is it so hard to do? Because we want control of our lives, well as you know, there is no such thing.