Final installment of the “20 Years” series. I saved the best for last. The following ten books on mastery and self-discovery have been constant companions to me over the years. The discipline and daily practice of words on the page in my own novels might have saved my life and remapped the neuronal landscape of my fidgety brain, but it is these books that pointed the way forward and kept me on the path. If you feel adrift or unsatisfied or enslaved, crack open any of these masterworks and break on through to the other side. Wishing you big Momentum. Always.

• The War of Art by Steven Pressfield—Mom saw this author on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday a decade ago and sent me his book. I have probably read it 10 times over the last 10 years. I recently wrote Mr. Pressfield and told him what a massive impact War of Art has had on my life. I included a few of my books. Books that would not have been written were it not for this superb little manifesto on overcoming resistance. Last month he wrote me back! Big moment in my world.
• The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer—My friend Chad left me this book when he transferred to another prison. One of the greatest gifts I’ve ever received. Not only do I force this book on all of my friends, it’s also woven into the plot of my upcoming novel, The Law of Momentum.
• Atomic Habits by James Clear—When I stumbled and lost my way a few years ago, the day I turned shit around was the day I turned to the opening page of this book which had been sitting in my locker collecting dust for months. “You don’t rise to level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems.”
• Focus by Daniel Goleman—Maybe it’s because I’ve had a massive head injury, but I love learning about the brain. Most people cite Emotional Intelligence as Mr. Goleman’s magnum opus, but this is the one that started it all for me.
• The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz—Toltec wisdom. Simple and elegant. Be impeccable with your word, don’t take anything personally, don’t make assumptions, and always do your best.
• 10% Happier by Dan Harris—His live meltdown on Good Morning America is what started this fantastic journey. This book makes the case for meditation as a non-religious, mind-expanding, life-enriching practice.
• As a Man Thinketh by James Allen—“A man’s mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild. But whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth.”
• A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle—Reading this one for the second time right now. The first time was in disciplinary confinement at Century Correctional Institution in 2009. After nine months in the hole, I came out weighing 132 pounds with bones jutting from my face, but I also came out with a better understanding of who I was (immaculate awareness, consciousness, the witness) and who I was not (the chatty, judgmental, and incessant voice in my head).
• Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse—This is going to sound cliché, but this tiny book on one of the most gentle way-showers the world has ever known radically changed my life. If you’ve never read it and you’re a seeker, this is mandatory reading.
• The Story of Philosophy by Will Durant—There was this dude who lived in the next bunk at Okaloosa who was constantly getting high. His grandfather, who clearly loved him, used to send him 3 or 4 books every month. But he was obviously too wasted to read. I bought this from him for a single ramen soup. Best money I ever spent. The book is probably 100 years old, but it’s a masterclass on everyone from Plato to Spinoza to Kant to Nietzsche to Russell and all philosophers in between. Not something to read on autopilot but if you’re interested in the subject, highly recommended.