"Get Some Headspace"
by Andy Puddicombe
Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-Some-Headspace-Minutes-Difference/dp/1444722204/
Reading history and reviews
Finished on 15th January 2015
Andy Puddicombe's book is a populist take on mindfulness practice for the modern world, and draws on his own experiences both as a Buddhist monk and as someone who has learned the hard way how to apply mindfulness to the business of day to day living.
Although this wasn't my first encounter with mindfulness I found a lot in here to help with my own practices, especially as I started reading it at a time when I felt I was looking for ways to re-engage with them. Puddicombe is great at communicating the core ideas and finding ways to illustrate them using his own experiences.
One gripe however is that since the original publication of this book in 2011, Puddicombe seems determined to turn 'Headspace' into a commercial venture. One effect of this is that the web addresses linking to the guided meditations no longer work - instead you must sign up to the Headspace website to access the 'free' content, and pay a subscription to 'unlock' additional content. I don't doubt that for some people this is a very effective way to start (and stick with) regular meditation practice; but the delivery via a social media platform that's accessed through a computer or mobile feels (to me) to be a bit at odds with living more mindfully.
That said, the book stands up on its own. I don't know if more experienced practitioners will find much new in it, and someone looking for deeper insights into mindfulness would be better to look at something like John Kabat-Zinn's Wherever You Go, There You are. But personally I found plenty of good practical stuff in it, and I'm sure that it would make a great introduction to the practice of mindfulness.