7 Books Recommended by Carlos Santana

Today’s guest post comes from the writers over at Vubio.com, a place to find the top recommended books by the people you trust or are a big fan of.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, lightworker, pioneer of jazz-rock fused Latin influences, and multi-Grammy award winner Carlos Santana has helped reshape the world of music with his soulfulness and authenticity.

Aside from being an accomplished songwriter and musician, he is also a remarkably enlightened individual who has a unique view of the world backed by experience, hardships, and more importantly, a plethora of successes.

Today we’ll talk about seven books recommended by Carlos Santana, so let’s start with:

**1. The Power of Now, A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle**

The Power of Now is a book about self-growth, inner monologue, and various social interactions, both inside the mind and with our family, friends, and acquaintances. This book helps the reader learn more about self-reflection, and how its power can be harnessed to empower oneself with straightforward exercises.

Carlos has stated on numerous occasions that “being present at the moment” is imperative for musicians, and The Power of Now explains how it can be done with consistency.

**2. Nothing in This Book Is True, but It’s Exactly How Things Are by Bob Frissell**

Despite the relatively nihilistic title, Nothing in This Book is True is actually a book with witty remarks, practical solutions, and a rather unique perspective on life. Many chapters of this book allude to ideas that would perhaps bother a ‘sane’ mind, which means that it’s a perfect fit for people who won’t willingly adhere to conventional and ‘regular’ definitions and rules.

It’s not a science-defying book, rather it gives a different outtake of certain aspects of philosophy and metaphysics.

**3. A Mini-Course for Life by Gerald Jampolsky and Diane Cirincione**

In essence, this is a book that offers a fresh perspective on ‘old challenges’, allowing readers to face their regrets head-on with practical solutions rather than float around the problem with positive reinforcement and false encouragement.

Carlos’s fame was followed by numerous events, both positive and negative, all of which required him to be able to think on his feet, make clear-cut decisions in split seconds, and ensure that he can stand behind whatever he says or does.

A Mini-Course for Life was released in 2007, at the point where Carlos’s career was already standing strong on its feet, although the practical aspects of the book have made it timeless and applicable regardless of the situation, problem, or challenge.

**4. Voices of Latin Rock by Jim McCarthy**

Carlos is undoubtedly the pioneer of a particular genre of music that blended rock sensibilities with Latin jazz influences. Although his rocky feel and thump are sometimes more dominant, the beautiful melodies in his leads and solos reveal his Latin roots.

The Voices of Latin Rock is a beautiful recollection of the explosive wave of Latin rock bands in America by Jim McCarthy, a writer who’s spent decades following and interviewing the prominent names on this scene.

This book also recounts numerous events that have taken place during the ‘60s and ‘70s as the Latin rock scene was first breaking through and then expanding, including the evolution of record labels, and the way record deals were morphing along with the entire music industry.

**5. End Your Story, Begin Your Life: Wake Up, Let Go, Live Free by Jim Dreaver**

Jim Dreaver’s End Your Story, Begin Your Life is a guide to practical self-growth. The spiritual aspect of this book may have attracted Carlos’s attention, although its practical, implementable aspects kept him reading further, and ultimately falling in love with the book.

As a person who’ve managed to reinvent himself dozens of times, Santana certainly realizes the importance of the ability to revise, rethink, and retrace one’s footsteps and establish new trains of thought, which is precisely what End Your Story, Begin Your Life is about.

This book explains that self-perception is not something that is set in stone. Rather than embracing our imperfections and giving way to excuses, we can acknowledge our flaws and move past them to provide safe passage for new stories and experiences.

**6. A Course in Miracles by Dr. Helen Schucman**

Despite the fact that it was published more than four decades ago, this book remains largely relevant in today’s times.

Carlos has had numerous encounters with spirituality, as well as Christianity. As he has recounted, he suffered from depression after a string of ill-fated events, most notably his wife leaving him, and at one point he wanted to commit suicide. Carlos’s faith saved him in his darkest hours, and A Course in Miracles is essentially a course in Christian love, faith, and perseverance.

Santana often speaks about religion, and how much of an imprint it had on his personal and musical life; in that light, A Course in Miracles is essentially an opportunity to understand more about his perception of faith, religion, and Christianity in general.

**7. The Soundtrack of My Life by Clive Davis**

More than a decade has passed since Carlos Santana famously collaborated with Clive Davis on his 21^st studio record called Guitar Heaven: The Greatest Classics of All Time. Davis also produced one of Carlos’s most heavily acclaimed albums, Supernatural.

The relationship of one of the world’s most respected players and one of the world’s most respected music producers is that of two kindred spirits, which The Soundtrack of My Life describes in great detail.

This book is Clive’s autobiography, and in it, he takes readers on a journey throughout his rich collection of memories and experiences. Aside from the fact that they are friends and have been partners on multiple occasions, Carlos recommends The Soundtrack of My Life because it is a gorgeously written book full of value for both songwriters, musicians, and music lovers.

We hope that this guide was useful to you and that you have learned something new today on the legendary Mr. Carlos Santana. Make sure you are staying safe in these times we are all going through and have a good one!