Grace Notes: A Year of Daily Meditations for Spiritual Growth, Courage, and Joy—Organized Season by Season

by Alexandra Stoddard

Throughout her life, Alexandra Stoddard has sought inspiration from writers, poets, and people she has met. In Grace Notes, she shares this wisdom and her own learnings, beautifully captured in brief, motivating observations, in 365 daily meditations of warmth, affirmation, encouragement, and optimism. Season by season, day by day, you'll explore different joy, love, loss, risk, courage, wholeness, growth, play, and success. In addition to offering inspirational quotes from many cultures and two "grace notes," each page provides space to write down your own sacred inspirations. With courage and confidence, Grace Notes takes you on a spiritual journey every day of your life--and whenever you feel the need to be transported to serenity and grace.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Spirituality, Lifestyle

420 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

ALEXANDRA STODDARD is a philosopher of contemporary living and author of many best selling books, including the classic Living a Beautiful Life: 500 Ways to Add Elegance, Order, Beauty and Joy to Every Day of Your Life, Choosing Happiness: Keys to a Joyful Life, Things I Want My Daughters to Know: A Small Book About the Big Issues in Life, and You Are Your Choices: 50 Ways to Live the Good Life. Alexandra's newest book Happiness For Two: 75 Secrets for Finding More Joy Together, published in January 2008, is now in its second printing.

Reviews

[Lisa J Shultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for a second time after a several year break between readings. I think I liked it best the first time through and got a little bored the second time. I read a page a day all year as it was intended. I did find value in the notes but my mind wasn't as engaged when I read it again. So read it once and give it away after that!

[Amy Christine Lesher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time I've read this book. It's a bit like a calendar, every day there's a quote and Stoddard's take on the quote, and then there's room for you to add your own grace note. At times the quotes have been nearly dead on. Every night before I go to bed I read that day's page and try to think about how to incorporate it into my own life.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stoddard's habit of collecting quotes led to this book. Each day's quote and meditation gives the reader the opportunity to think about something new, or something old and forgotten.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book of daily readings. Each page has a quote from a noteworthy source and then a couple of personal comments from the author.
I think I might have rated this more favorably had I read it in 1993 when it came out. At this point, the daily quotes are nice but I often found the personal comments to be somewhat preachy and condescending. There are parts to be enjoyed, but overall, I would not recommend this particular book as a daily meditation source.

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking forward to something like Grace Notes in Living A Beautiful Life. The practical things like setting a pretty table and making your bath your own private oasis. This was more meditations and deep thoughts. I ended up using it as an On This Day quote journal. Because of that I will keep and refer back to. The actual book bored me. I've already finish up the year of writing holiday quotes and yearly reminders in it.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book would likely have been fine in small doses...like once a day, which was my plan. Unfortunately, I would forget to read a page and a few days would go by, so I'd read several days at once. Bad idea. A little of Ms. Stoddard goes a long way, and--although I've enjoyed various random quotes of hers in the past--I find when I read several at once, I want to scream. The quotes by famous people that began each page, however, were quite wonderful.

[Laurie Fieldman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful, witty, intuitive, amazing.

Another book I was resistant to begin.
However, it's just enough, and not too much. She hits a nerve many times.
I love that its a book I can pick up at any time and choose what I want.

Or read it all the way through, one page for each day.
I've read this so many times, the pages are falling out.
Thank you, Ms. Stoddard.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anything by Alexandra Stoddard is going to be enjoyable to me. I am a collector of quotes and this book is filled with them. I read a page a day to inspire myself to start each day with one of her collected quotes and her reflection on the topic.

[Kaethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was on quite the Stoddard kick for a while, and I like the idea of adding little special touches to your life, but my concerns are more along the lines of getting all the little pointy hair things up off the floor before I step on them.

[Dottie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quotes, meditations,etc. Opened randomly or read daily -- a good choice for a spot next to your bedside or chairside for the brief moments when in need of a pick-me-up along with your coffee or tea.

[Wayne Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of many of alexandra's book that help me through my life.

[Ruth Job Salamanca · Rating 5 out of 5]

it offers a lot of words of encouragement which i really need especially when.faced with obstacles. and having this as an everyday reminder that life has so much to offer is a very good thing.

[Vicki Petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to start each day

This is the best way to start each day. I love my Grace notes! I read these and then do my morning pages!