Well. Here we are.
I don’t have much to say right now. I’m still struggling to make sense of what actually happened. And I know that a lot of you are feeling the same way.
I don’t live in the States, but I live in the world. And these results are just the latest in a global trend of the far right trading on fear and hatred to take control.
I don’t have words of wisdom for you. I can’t make this OK. Not today.
But I can offer you some comfort through books. This is a month dedicated to non-fiction reading but I haven’t been able to read much of it in the last 24 hours.
In case there are others looking for comfort reads, I offer you a list of books that have always made me feel better. Here’s hoping that any of these can soothe some of the heartbreak.
Harry Potter. An entire series dedicated to the eradication of hatred, predicated on the magic of the power of love. Get thee to Hogwarts.
Anything by Maeve Binchy. Her books are all about how hard work can right the ship. Her characters heal, change their lives, move forward because of the support of the people they love and a strong work ethic.
Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed. Find refuge in this book meant to offer hope to those who are struggling in a myriad of ways. Let Sugar’s empathy show you that all is not lost.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. Ove hates the world. No one follows the rules and he doesn’t see the point in anything. But then he accidentally opens his door to a family across the street and his heart breaks wide open. You’ll cry but it will be cathartic.
The Humans by Matt Haig. The story of how an alien learns to be human. The most important takeaway? Love’s the thing that matters most.
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. It’ll take a while but Jean Valjean is probably the best character in all of literature. He is obsessed with doing the right thing, no matter what.
Anything by Jane Austen, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and/or A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. These books brought comfort to soldiers fighting in WWI and WWII. Seems like they’d have something to offer today.
Most of all, look after yourselves. Eat cake, watch movies, hug your pets, love your kids, and:
The Paperback Princess 
❤ I should have known this is why the stars aligned and Tiny Beautiful Things appeared on my kindle last night. I might have to poop out on my book club book just so I can get started sooner.
Clearly meant to be. Listen to the Universe.
I put aside my heavy nonfiction book today in favor of The Humans, which seems like what I need right now.
Good call. Enjoy.
Instead of a million other things I “should” have done today, I sat in front of the fire with my book, and I felt that life was going to be okay. And I ate cake. 🙂
I think you made the right choice!
Thank you ❤
Hang in there. Do what you need to to fight another day.
A wonderful reading list to help deal with the uncertain future Americans (and the rest of the world, too!) is facing right now. I feel like the central themes of the Harry Potter books are particularly relevant nowadays.
It’s not much but hopefully it’s something. Amazing how a series of “children’s” books can still have such an impact.
Glad to see we’re on the same page with Comfort Reading. I couldn’t even cull mine down to titles, but just authors!
Like you, I’m struggling with nonfiction right now. Reality is not what I want, even if it is about olive oil or India. Victoria was the first book I could actually read and comprehend since Tuesday (and I need you to read it fast so I can hear what you think).
Non-fiction was just too difficult to focus on this week.
I read Victoria!! What’s the best platform to discuss?
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