# [5 Fabulous American Yoga Books You Must Read**.**](http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/08/5-fabulous-american-yoga-books-you-must-read/) Via [Michelle Margaret](http://www.elephantjournal.com/author/michelle-fajkus/) on Aug 21, 2013 ![[5 Yoga Books to Read__unknown_filename.jpeg]] Photo courtesy of Shutterstock ### In today’s American media and pop culture—the term “Yoga” carries lots of baggage and as many connotations as there are people**.** With all due respect to yogic authors from India, for us [gringos](http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/07/the-top-5-reasons-i-live-outside-the-u-s-a/) , it can also be helpful to ingest the words of North American yoga teachers and scholars**.** Their writings reach the modern American mind, body and spirit by filtering yoga through the lens of our ever evolving pop yoga culture**.** Here is a list of five indispensable, accessible, well-written American Yoga guidebooks and memoirs that I highly recommend for mindful yogis and yoginis of all ages**.** 1\. [Living Your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life](http://www.amazon.ca/Living-Your-Yoga-Spiritual-Everyday/dp/0962713880) by Judith Hanson Lasater After taking a workshop from the amazingly intelligent, eloquent, funny Judith Lasater herself, I read this delicious, thin volume several years ago**.** At the time, I was living in the San Francisco Bay Area and fully immersed in my burgeoning yoga career**.** The author’s practical, non-preachy voice offers a wonderful, accessible introduction to yoga philosophy within the context of this daily American life**.** 2\. [May I Be Happy: A Memoir of Love, Yoga and Changing My Mind](http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/02/cultivating-self-love-a-book-review-of-cindy-lees-memoir/) by Cyndi Lee Written by the founder of OM Yoga in NYC, this memoir is a down-to-earth account of Ms. Lee’s personal yoga and meditation practices, with special emphasis on her self-hate due to her imperfect physical body**.** Although at times it feels a little whiny-_–woe is me, I have gray hair and flabby thighs and I have to fly all over the world teaching at expensive yoga conferences—_I do appreciate the author’s openness and candor**.** Her focus on body dysmorphia makes me cringe at times, but it’s also a poignant reminder that of my own former battles with my belly as a yoga practitioner and teacher**.** Lee is more than willing to dispel the myth that yoga teachers are some special breed of perfect, calm, centered bodhisattvas all the time**.** 3**.** [Hell-Bent: Obsession, Pain, and the Search for Something Like Transcendence in Competitive Yoga](http://www.amazon.ca/Hell-Bent-Obsession-Something-Transcendence-Competitive/dp/031267290X) by Benjamin Lorr I have long hated [Bikram Yoga](http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/08/hot-or-not-possible-benefits-precautions-of-hot-yoga/) **.** Admittedly, I’ve only taken about a dozen classes in the hot room, most of which occured a decade ago in Austin**.** The most memorable, of course, was the time I took a class from Mr. Choudhury himself, at his Yoga Expo in L.A. in September of 2003**.** Bikram wanted to be listed in the _Guinness Book of World Records_ for teaching the biggest yoga class ever**.** I’m not sure how many people attended, but we practiced his 26 posture series in a not-so-hot room at the L.A. Convention Center with the “guru” himself ranting and raving on a platform, wearing only a mic and a black loin cloth**.** It was a terrible class and I was shocked an appalled that there was no savasana (final relaxation) at the end**.** I laid down anyway, despite the stampede of sweaty yogis leaving the huge, flourescently-lit room**.** That said, I adored Benjamin Lorr’s book on Bikram-the yoga, the man, the community**.** I was absolutely fascinated by the tales of Bikrma’s youth and his initial encounters with Beverly Hills**.** Over thirty years later, his hot yoga empire is mammoth and controversial and evidently crumbling due to a slew of recent harassment claims and lawsuits**.** Lorr’s talent for writing smooth prose made me willing to embrace his many detours in the story, including his investigations of pain, heat, asana competitions and narcissitic personality disorder**.** 4**.** [21st Century Yoga: Culture, Politics and Practice](http://www.elephantjournal.com/2012/10/21st-century-yoga-online-book-club/print-10/) by Carol Horton and Roseanne Harvey This collection of essays was published in 2012 and is a unique offering in that it includes the voices of 12 different men and women from across the North American yoga community, many of whom are bloggers here on elephant journal**.** It includes memorable personal narratives on how yoga helped the authors overcome drug addiction, body dysmorphia and anorexia, as well as more philosophical pieces on yoga’s role in modern day spiritual practice**.** My personal favorite title was, “Modern Yoga Will Not Form a Real Culture Until Every Studio Can Also Double as a Soup Kitchen and other observations from the threshold between yoga and activism” by Matthew Remski**.** You’ll want to read this quick, intriguing book at least twice**.** 5\. [The Journey from the Center to the Page: Yoga Philosophies and Practices as Muse for Authentic Writing](http://www.amazon.ca/The-Journey-Center-Page-Philosophies/dp/0976684381) by Jeffrey Davis I met Jeffrey Davis when he came to Austin in early 2006 and led a weekend workshop at my neighborhood yoga space, Dharma Yoga**.** His technique is called Yoga as Muse, or YAM for short**.** “In addition to suggesting specific yoga exercises for various writing roadblocks **.** . **.** this is a substantial writing guide, with lessons in voice, symbol, syntax and dialogue,” reported the Dallas Morning News**.** For novice and experienced writers alike, this is a must-read guide from a humble, compassionate, wise teacher**.** The techniques given can also be applied to other types of creation, like music and visual art**.** Bonus: [Richard Hittleman’s 28-Day Yoga Exercise Program](http://www.amazon.ca/Richard-Hittlemans-Yoga-Exercise-Plan/dp/0553277480) by Richard Hittleman I had included this title on the list because its presence on a dusty bookshelf in the game room of my parents’ house initiated and propelled my hatha yoga practice**.** The book’s copyright is from 1969. It found me in 1993**.** The back cover announced “the opportunity to look lovelier, feel better and remain younger—in just 28 of the most important days of your life**.**” Every evening, I’d consult the book’s step-by-step photographs and instructions, which led me through twenty-eight increasingly challenging routines**.** Right away, I could feel a shift within myself. It was motivating and exciting to teach myself to balance in headstand and to witness my spine and hamstrings gain elasticity**.** I felt the thrill of pride at having the discipline to practice every day**.** My perseverance in yoga helped me tackle undesirable tasks, like Texas history homework**.** Many thanks, Mr. Hittleman! Obviously, this list is only the beginning, as it only includes books I have personally read**.** I just purchased _American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation How Indian Spirituality Changed the Wes_t by Philip Goldberg, which I’m pretty excited about, but I can’t exactly recommend it since I haven’t read a page yet**.** What other American Yoga books would you include**?** Feel free to leave a comment below and share your favorite title(s)**.** ### _Like_ [elephant yoga](https://www.facebook.com/elephantyoga) on Facebook**.** Ed: Bryonie Wise [Incorrect source, offensive, or found a typo**?**](mailto:[email protected]) Or do you [want to write](mailto:[email protected]) for Elephant**?** [{Waylon H. Lewis C Enterprises 2013: Use Rights in perpetuity**.** Ownership remains with author.}](http://www.elephantjournal.com/write/) Michelle Margaret is the proprietor of [Yoga Freedom](http://www.yogafreedom.com) and she writes for [elephant journal](http://www.elephantjournal.com/author/michelle-fajkus/) **.** Born and raised in Texas, she came of age in Austin, lived in SF and London, took a pilgrimage to India in 2008, and migrated to Guatemala in 2009**.** She now lives at Lake Atitlan where she teaches English and mindfulness at Life School in Panajachel**.** Her forthcoming first book is entitled _Yoga Schmoga: A Manifesto**.**_ Tweet 117 shares 4,716 views ## Elephant Journal's Daily Wake-Up Call  Get elephant's Daily Wake Up Call: a gap for inspiration & meaning in the inbox of your mind Jennifer _· _ I would add just one more to that list: Misadventures of a Garden State Yogi by Brian Leaf**.** Maybe it's because I'm a Jersey girl. Maybe it's because his personal experiences and philosophies so closely mirror my own**.** But it was a fast, fantastic read. It'll have you laughing out loud on one page, and holding back tears on the next**.** Loved it! Michelle Peterson _· _ Donna Farhi's "Bringing Yoga to Life" is a must read**.** I'm currently re-reading Donna Farhi's "Bringing Yoga to Life**.** Nothing short of amazing, should be on the list! Will definitely check out #1 and #3**.** Sri Guruji Rev**.** Jaganath Carrera's Inside the Yoga Sutras & Inside Yoga Meditation are invaluable**.** Check them out as well. It's so funny that you included the last one, as well as the story with it**!** I was first exposed to yoga the same way - a dusty, smelly paperback copy in the stacks of my mom's library**.** How cool is that?**!**? (I then graduated to 'Basic Yoga for Dummies' on VHS before working up the nerve to head to my first class....) "The Tenth Door" by Michele Hebert - great read "Beyond Power Yoga" by Beryl Bender Birch is excellent**.** It brings the philosophy of Ashtanga to practice in a most inspiring manner**.** Good old "Light on Life" by B.K.S. Iyengar**.** It inspired me to look deeper beyond asana into the juice that's why I do any of this**.** Lotus Blossom _· _ Mark Singleton's book Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice as well as Erich Schiffman's book Moving Into Stillness are my suggestions for books on yoga by North American authors**.** Yoga of Time Travel was noticeably left off of this list..**.** dianne rohr _· _ When you mentioned Hittleman's book, which I have owned since the 70's, another old book came to mind; Yoga, Youth and Reincarnation by Jess Stearn**.** It is another fun and fascinating read from that era**.** Deb Korchdeborah _· _ Yoga and the Quest for the True Self by Steve Cope and The Mirror of Yoga by Richard Freeman are my favorites**.** ### Post a new comment  Subscribe to