Given that I always have a book or two or seven on the go, is it any surprise that I'd kick off my Four Weeks of 40 with a list of favourite books?

It's by no means a "top 40" list, I could never rank all that I've read. But these are the first ones that came to mind as I typed, and the ones that jumped out as I scanned my bookshelves, so that's saying something!

I've loosely grouped them into six categories: Biz & Productivity (1-11), Creativity (12-15), Writing & Presentations (16-24), Art & Inspiration (25-33), Hearth & Home (34-36), and the catch-all, Other (37-40).

Here goes, grouped, but not ranked...

Brainstorm: Harnessing the Power of Productive Obsessions, Eric Maisel
The Fire Starter Sessions: A Soulful + Practical Guide to Creating Success on Your Own Terms, Danielle LaPorte
The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, Ken Robinson with Lou Aronica
Making a Living Without a Job: Winning Ways for Creating Work That You Love, Barbara Winter
Refuse to Choose!: Use All of Your Interests, Passions and Hobbies to Create the Life and Career of Your Dreams, Barbara Sher
Making It All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and Business of Life, David Allen
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey
Write It Down, Make It Happen: Knowing What You Want and Getting It, Henriette Anne Klauser
Overcoming Underearning: A Five-Step Plan to a Richer Life, Barbara Stanny
Zen and the Art of Making a Living: A Practical Guide to Creative Career Design, Laurence G. Boldt
To Build the Life You Want, Create the Work You Love: The Spiritual Dimension of Entrepreneuring, Marsha Sinetar
The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron
Kick-Ass Creativity: An Energy Makeover for Artists, Explorers, and Creative Professionals, Mary Beth Maziarz
Coaching the Artist Within: Advice for Writers, Actors, Visual Artists, and Musicians from America's Foremost Creativity Coach, Eric Maisel
Walking in this World: The Practical Art of Creativity, Julia Cameron
If You Want to Write, Brenda Ueland
Writing Begins with the Breath: Embodying Your Authentic Voice, Laraine Herring
Thinking on Paper, V.A. Howard and J.H. Barton
slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations, Nancy Duarte
Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences, Nancy Duarte
Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery, Garr Reynolds
Poetry Matters: Writing a Poem from the Inside Out, Ralph Fletcher
A Writer's Paris, Eric Maisel
The Art of the Book Proposal, Eric Maisel
Henri Matisse (Taschen Basic Art Series), Gilles Neret
Klee, text by Will Grohmann (I bought this used, apparently it's a 1967 edition)
Frida Kahlo: Face to Face, Judy Chicago and Frances Borzello
Masters: Collage: Major Works by Leading Artists, Lark Books
Taking Flight: Inspiration and Techniques to Give Your Creative Spirit Wings, Kelly Rae Roberts
Color Mixing Recipes, William F Powell
Painting Abstracts: Ideas, Projects and Techniques, Rolina van Vliet
The Art of Abstract Painting: A Guide to Creativity and Free Expression, Rolina van Vliet
Finding Your Visual Voice: A Painter's Guide to Developing an Artistic Style, Dakota Mitchell with Lee Haroun
Shelter for the Spirit: Create Your Own Haven in a Hectic World, Victoria Moran
Sacred Space: Clearing and Enhancing the Energy of Your Home, Denise Linn
Create the Space You Deserve: An Artistic Journey to Expressing Yourself Through Your Home, Jill Butler
Embracing Uncertainty: Breakthrough Methods for Achieving Peace of Mind When Facing the Unknown, Susan Jeffers
Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship With Money and Achieving Financial Independence, Vicki Robin
The Female Brain, Louann Brizendine
The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran

There are so many others, it was hard to whittle it down to 40! And once I get my latest Amazon order in the mail, I'll have each and every one of them on my bookshelf.

I couldn't help but notice that I didn't include any fiction; I guess I'm mostly a non-fiction kind of a gal.

Till the next list...