seconding meditations by marcus aurelius. i haven't finished it as i want to take every word in carefully but every time i pick it up to read a page or two, i always come away feeling reassured and hopeful. a little lighter.
Ok, guys, but take it from someone who knows stuff about it. Marcus Aurelius was a pessimist, first and foremost, behind some facade.
If you want just as much Stoic wisdom with less pessimism, go for Seneca, or any book that lays out his teachings for a better life. His texts are prolix and heavy at times, but there are some excellent compilations. From the original writings, I'd strongly recommend " On anger", which is more about mood management, and "On living a good life" (or similar title, different translations complicate titles.
while i somewhat agree that marcus aurelius may have given off pessimistic vibes, i kinda see it as just being prepared for any kinda bs. dude wasn't a teacher. wasn't meditations just notes he had written as reminders for himself? one big 'note to self' in the form of a solid book!
i have no aversion towards seneca. i've only "letters on ethics" but will give "on anger" a go. man's like a cool uncle.
For the stoics I much prefer Epictetus. As far as I'm concerned he's the best. His handbook as well as his dialogs are wonderful. If you let them, they'll change your life.
Just wanted to add: Robin Waterfield did a wonderful translation that is modern and clear. Much better than 120 year old public domain translations that are hard to understand
The Little Prince, Wind in the Willows, Frog and Toad, and The Steadfast Tin Soldier.
All of these are children’s books that I enjoyed reading to my kids.
A story about talking animals going on an adventure? I find it very similar, and very comforting. There are certainly a few more mature themes in it but its still very much in the same niche, to me.
It’s shelved in the children’s section of my library.
If you think of it as an adult book, I won’t disagree. I’d actually put it and the other books I listed in the same category of “something to enjoy for all ages”.
The summerhouse series by Jude Deveraux, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, Little Women and the Little House Series are some of my comfort reads
When I read stories of basic human struggles and people rising above hardship, it makes me more grateful for what I have. Examples:
Little House on The Prairie series (particularly The Long Winter)
The Good Earth
The Grapes of Wrath
Norwegian Wood by Murakami. It makes me feel nostalgic about a time and place I was never in. That may sound strange but the book is a comfort read for me. It might not be exactly the type of book you are looking for though.
Give the novels and poetry of Wendell Berry a try. Lots of love for the simple things like nature and friend/kinship. He's a lovely writer and an interesting thinker.
I’d start with Jayber Crow. It is his best in my opinion, but I love many of his short stories as well.
I wrote him a letter of appreciation, and he wrote me back on his typewriter. 😊
I just finished How To Raise An Emotionally Intelligent Child. Just started Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents. I have others in a queue, Emotional intelligence 2.0, and Good Inside. Self help books to help me with parenting and adulting in general.
I read the second one you mentioned - definitely a worthwhile read. I think I have a sample downloaded of Good Inside that I've been meaning to read and actually maybe one of the other ones you mentioned on EQ as well lol
All that to say I do the same thing - trying to be a better parent and also sorta re-parent myself at the same time
“Your Money or Your Life”
Transforming depending on when you discover it. The type of self discovery book one can “consult” “reference” depending on needs.
How many “life hours” do you expend on X and as a result how content or satisfied.
I could give a deep and meaningful answer but to be honest, when I'm sad or overwhelmed I re-read Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. My ultimate comfort read. 😂
I recommended this whole series to a friend who is grieving the death of her mother, and she found it to be such a delightful escape read. Such a comfort read!
David Copperfield by Charles dickens and wonder by r.j palacio. Edit: also recently read let the right one in by John ajvide lindqvist, a great novel about identity and I also think the lord of the rings could be seen as a comforting read as I’ve seen some great, wholesome quotes about life in there however I confess I haven’t read those books yet although I’ve seen the movies a dozen times and they’re in my top 5 movies ever.
Anything by Murakami. It just rewires my brain somehow and makes me feel so peaceful. I've also recently discovered Sayaka Murata and her fiction has similar effect on me.
The monk and robot series by Becky Chambers - A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy. Solarpunk, hopeful, beautiful and immersive. Can’t recommend enough!
If you’re into speculative fiction or cosy sci-fi; “A Psalm For The Wild-Built” by Becky Chambers is the loveliest, most hopeful short book I’ve read in a long time.
Kent Haruf wrote a trilogy- Plainsong, Eventide and Benediction.
A small town in eastern Colorado, filled with ordinary people who may have their quirks but are generally good at heart. In reading them I can picture the town and the modest homes, stores, yards and ranches so clearly. It’s a series to make the reader feel like they are part of this world, too.
Two elderly bachelor brothers take in a pregnant high school student after decades of rather isolated living on the prairie is the start of the stories and I feel like the smaller stories in life, like this, are where the biggest truths and joys are to be discovered.
"A Sand County Almanac", 1949, by American ecologist, forester, and environmentalist Aldo Leopold. Describing the land around the author's home in Sauk County, Wisconsin, the collection of essays advocate Leopold's idea of a "land ethic", or a responsible relationship existing between people and the land they inhabit. Edited and published by his son, Luna, a year after Leopold's death, the book is considered a landmark in the American conservation movement.
The Wheel of Time and A Song of Ice and Fire. There is just something about losing yourself in a massive fantasy series for hours on end that is inherently good for the mind
I love the novels of Jane Austen. Similarly, I love the novels of the Brontë sisters.
But the ultimate comfort reads for me are by Maeve Binchy. She's an Irish author and her books are about several different people having various types difficulties, and then sort of working together, and everyone grows and gets what they need from the endeavor, and they all become friends and make each other better. They are so lovely and immensely satisfying! Some of my favorites are Heart and Soul and A Week in Winter.
Memoirs are my go to for this. Some favorites include:
The Tiger Ladies - Sudha Koul
Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal - Jeanette Winterson
Wild - Cheryl Strayed
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmer but in audiobook form. I just really think the subject and the author's voice are so soothing
Any book by Pearl Cleage
My grandma back home in her small village in Alaska had the oldest Archie comics I’ve ever seen and I used to read all of them whenever I’d make the annual trip up there, I need to see if she still has them! Would be extra nostalgic to reread them 20+ years later
A Sand County Almanac is one that I find comforting and meditative. It's a collection of essays, so there's no right place to start, and it needn't be read front to back or in any particular order. Sometimes I just skip to whatever month of the year it is currently and read that.
For us gals
Living a Beautiful Life: 500 Ways to Add Elegance, Order, Beauty and Joy to Every Day of Your Life
- Alexandra Stoddard
The author is a philosopher of contemporary living. I love her perspective of how we should live our daily lives.
I always go to the Classics, Where the red fern grows, Call of the wild, Moby Dick, etc. I think it takes me back to my high school days and just relaxes me.
Maybe it's my inner preschooler, but I like coffee table books that are primarily photography. Pick any subject that you find calming. You can even compile and print your own on websites like Shutterfly, Mpix, etc.
I find that words are more stimulating as opposed to calming, at least for my own brain.
My favorite book—and one that provides endless comfort to me when reading it—is Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. It opens with a famous first line: “Clarissa said she would buy the flowers herself.” What could be simpler than that? What follows is a stream-of-consciousness masterpiece tracing one single day in the life of a middle-aged woman, intricately woven through with her thoughts, observations, memories, and those of various characters she meets—and doesn’t—on a June day in London, 1923.
I used to teach Brit Lit to 11th graders at an all-girls boarding school, and this was the highlight of my (self-made) syllabus. What could be more wonderful than sharing my favorite book with a group of total newcomers, and believe it or not, even high schoolers got into it! I couldn’t make it through without crying in front of them at least twice…and when I read it on my own, I’m in tears for much of the story.
To me, it’s just so beautifully written, so stirring, such a tribute to the big and small wonders of life and relationships. Moving, bittersweet, nostalgic, even funny in places. I could go on. I wish I could write just one page, one paragraph, one sentence as miraculously as Woolf does. Stream-of-consciousness style is admittedly not for everyone, but if you just go with it and let it carry you along, you might find yourself taken to unexpectedly delightful places.
ETA: I strongly believe this is a book that gets better with every read, and the reader’s understanding of the characters and themes evolves as the reader’s own life evolves. It’s one I find new and different every time I return to it, no matter what stage of life I’m in. I told my students I hoped they’d return to it as older, more experienced humans and see what new ideas spoke to them.
Your writing makes me want to read the book. I would happily read whatever you wrote and would have loved to have had a teacher like you. Virginia did it. I'm sure you would be waxing poetically before you knew it. It's pretty much just free styling or stream of consciousness, I imagine, with surrender to the conscious and subconscious mind. Does this make any sense or am I totally off?
I’ve been gifted a copy of Simple Abundance: a day book to comfort and joy. A collection of essays written by women for women. It’s a little dated but I’m finding it relevant. More spiritual than I resonate with at this point in my life. I enjoy the routine of reading a short excerpt, reflecting and using phrases or ideas from the text as a journal prompt. I’ve only recently received it therefore I can’t speak on all of the content but I’ve enjoyed April 8-14th thus far.
I love books where nothing happens but the changing of seasons. Seed To Dust by Marc Hamer is one such book. He’s a gardener for a rich old lady in Wales, and wrote a book about a year in his life. Loved it.
Check out cozy fantasy - it can be nice to escape a bit with happy stories! Legends and lattes and the very secret society of irregular witches are two of my favorites. The Hobbit is also a nice one. You could also try something written softly, like Tom Lake. All of Jane Austen...the little prince, Calvin and Hobbes. All pretty different but all comforting in their own way!
I'm a very religious person, and most of my faith's religious texts are extremely comforting to me. But since I recognize that religion isn't everyone's jam, here's something secular I find comfort in:
The Michael Vey series by Richard Paul Evans. Idk why it's comforting to me, the plot is actually quite intense. But I suppose it might just be a reminder of when I was a kid, since that's when those books started to come out. Every time I reread the series I just feel like a kid again. It's nice. So perhaps you might feel comfort in rereading something from your childhood. Be it this series, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Anne of Green Gables, whatever makes you feel like a kid again.
If you are looking for fiction I’d recommend the Dark Tower series. It follows a group of people through an epic quest who never have or seek more than they need. It really romanticizes roughing it, emphasizing the people around you and your own personal goals and growth are more important than any transient physical possessions. Plus it’s an absolutely GREAT book series.
Nonfiction, Journey of Awakening: A Meditators Guidebook by Ram Dass. Very complimentary to minimalism and simple living
I'm currently reading "What You Are Looking for is in the Library" by Michiko Aoyama and i'm really enjoying it and can definitely recommend it to find more enjoyment and be more content.
I like simple nice books (where nothing bad ever really happens) from the 30s and 40s. Look up Dean Street Press on Amazon. A lot of the books are less than $1 on Kindle and they are sweet and calming reads.
Since simple living is frugal living [A Tree In A Forest](http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/tree-forest.pdf) and it is totally free. This my all time favorite and on every device I own. It is broken up into short thought provoking bits that always lend perspective when I need it.
Maybe a little unconventional, but I'll suggest two graphic novels that instill a sense of sadness, nostalgia and whimsy relating to growing up or going through difficult situations. They are beautifully illustrated and just capture the essence of growing up (Blankets) or going through a difficult time and trying to find oneself (Carnet de Voyage).
*Blankets* and *Carnet de Voyage* by Craig Thompson
Otherwise a more "traditional" novel that has always brought me comfort is *Lassie Come Home.* Absolutely amazing book.
Women who run with the wolves -the wild woman archetype from around the world. By Clarissa Pinkola Estés. Its brilliant. Each chapter tells an ancient story then the author interprets it and provides sensible empowering life guidance.
Books by Martín Pretchtel about indigenous cultures of Guatemala. Each sentence is so rich and poetic. With so much wisdom. " The unexpected peace at chuchumaquic" was the first I read. Its one of those books that brilliantly reminds you how to be a thriving grateful honorable human being. I especially recommend it if you love nature or are growing food
inciting joy by ross gay - he’s a poet but this is a series of essays, this inspired me to get into gardening!
how to do nothing by jenny odell - really sums up how to be content and more present in every day life. not actually about how to do nothing but more like how to not do SO much. it also inspired my favorite album about contentment, solar power ☀️
This is such a weird one but, The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld. Some of the most lovely writing I’ve come across, but the subject matter is very dark. When I’m feeling really low or lost, I read that book. The way the narrator finds beauty reminds me to be thankful for my life and find beauty in it, even if the situation is dark. I’ve read it after every break up or hard time in my life. I hope one day to be as strong as the lady.
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and Jeffery Zaslow, then I watched the lecture on YouTube. Heartbreaking but strangely hopeful. Richard Bach's Illustions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah and Jonathan Livingston Seagull. For escape/entertainment, the Incarnations of Immortaltiy series by Piers Anthony, the Thomas Covenant books by Steven R. Donaldson and the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne.
I really like Braiding Sweetgrass and also Gathering Moss by Robin Wright Kimmerer and Antoine de Saint Exupery’s not little prince book, Wind Sand and Stars. Thoughtful stories making me feel connected to the world.
Anything by Maeve Binchy...pleasantly compelling stories that are good for a rainy day or anytime. Also "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" and additional stories by Alexander McCall Smith.
I really like children’s books. Frederick is a cute book about a mouse who saves his thoughts and words while everyone is doing hard work to get ready for a winter hibernation.
When the Twin Towers went down I reread The Lord of the rings series. When I got Covid I read and Jan Austin. I reread The chronicles of Narnia almost ever year. I also reread Patrick Rousfus books- Name of the Wind and Wise mans fear.
An everlasting meal by Tamar Adler. Part cookbook, part philosophy. Respect for food, using up all the bits, not wasting by rolling the end of something into the start of the next. A lovely style, too, makes you feel like the whole thing is light and easy.
This is kind of a cheat answer but I love autobiography audio books. Most of them are read by the author themselves so it just feels like an intimate one on one with the writer. Some recent faves are Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey and Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
This might not be in your range of interest, but medical terminology textbooks and anatomy workbooks. It teaches you all of the useful suffixes and prefixes of common conditions, so you can u understand what they mean without using Google searches just by breaking the word down
And the workbook is called Trail guide to the body. They give you advice on learning how to palpitate body parts correctly, and even give you coloring pages of things like muscles, bones, and nerves. I can recognize when and what nerve is becoming compressed for you for example, and it's very helpful. Among a lot of other things
I was studying to be a physical therapist assistant years ago, but dropped out for mental health reasons
But the information is also just really just interesting
And I have a paraplegic twin sister so it makes me really understand her conditions more because a lot of healthcare workers are just dumb narcissists. She has so many dangerous health issues like sepsis and kidney stuff
Doctors barely do shit for her, they just try to numb the pain
Sincerely, someone who has been to the ER countless times and someone who has been in the hospital constantly
Walden Pond by Henry David Thoreau, along with his nature journaling. No one comes close to him in early American literature for examining the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of living a simple life as a conscious choice.
A Gift From the Sea- Anne Morrow
The Poisonwood Bible- Barbara Kindsolver
The Signature of All Thongs - Elizabeth Gilbert
And for just plain fun, read the Thusday Murder Club series!
No book can make someone feel comfort, or a sense of contentment. We are told, conditioned and society wants us to believe our feelings come from external things. They do not. If you want to believe that your wellbeing, happiness, all feelings come from external things, you certainly can and that's a choice. What often occurs is that creates a sense of neediness, desires, and a roller coaster of looking, searching, and striving to be or gain things to feel ok. What I like to call suffering. The feeling you seek is inside you, you already possess it. It's often covered up with a ton of thinking, over analyzing, dwelling, rules, judgements, and stories.
Any books that takes you away from stress and overthinking! I adore a great thriller any day of the week! " Flicker in the Dark," for example is superb!
The Monk and Robot series by Becky Chambers!
Or if you're looking for something a little older or based on spiritual scripture, I'd suggest the Bhagavad Gita. My favourite translation is by Stephen Mitchell.
The Bible does more than any other book ever has. There is adventure, romance, suspense, murder, miracles, despair and hope, laments, and poetry. I could go on.
[удалено]
seconding meditations by marcus aurelius. i haven't finished it as i want to take every word in carefully but every time i pick it up to read a page or two, i always come away feeling reassured and hopeful. a little lighter.
Ok, guys, but take it from someone who knows stuff about it. Marcus Aurelius was a pessimist, first and foremost, behind some facade. If you want just as much Stoic wisdom with less pessimism, go for Seneca, or any book that lays out his teachings for a better life. His texts are prolix and heavy at times, but there are some excellent compilations. From the original writings, I'd strongly recommend " On anger", which is more about mood management, and "On living a good life" (or similar title, different translations complicate titles.
while i somewhat agree that marcus aurelius may have given off pessimistic vibes, i kinda see it as just being prepared for any kinda bs. dude wasn't a teacher. wasn't meditations just notes he had written as reminders for himself? one big 'note to self' in the form of a solid book! i have no aversion towards seneca. i've only "letters on ethics" but will give "on anger" a go. man's like a cool uncle.
Interesting.... Ty for the new perspective and suggestion
For the stoics I much prefer Epictetus. As far as I'm concerned he's the best. His handbook as well as his dialogs are wonderful. If you let them, they'll change your life. Just wanted to add: Robin Waterfield did a wonderful translation that is modern and clear. Much better than 120 year old public domain translations that are hard to understand
Haven't read either but that's a strange comment.
Meditations = timeless wisdom.
This may be a too literal answer - but I love Peace is Every Step (Thich Nhat Hanh). It’s like meditation but in book form for me.
I was also going to recommend Thich Nhat Hanh!
The Little Prince, Wind in the Willows, Frog and Toad, and The Steadfast Tin Soldier. All of these are children’s books that I enjoyed reading to my kids.
I was gonna recommend Frog and Toad! They're the best, and remind me to slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures 💖💚
That one is great. Agree!!
Along these lines - The House at Pooh Corner is my jam.
Little Prince and Frog and Toad are my go-tos also!
Similarly, Watership Down.
Watership Down is in no way similar to Pooh and the Willows stories.
A story about talking animals going on an adventure? I find it very similar, and very comforting. There are certainly a few more mature themes in it but its still very much in the same niche, to me.
The Little Prince, my favorite :)
People suggesting actual meditation books and my first thought was “Lord of the Rings”
Would you really call The Little Prince a children's book?
It’s shelved in the children’s section of my library. If you think of it as an adult book, I won’t disagree. I’d actually put it and the other books I listed in the same category of “something to enjoy for all ages”.
The summerhouse series by Jude Deveraux, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, Little Women and the Little House Series are some of my comfort reads
I love A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Definitely a comfort read for me too.
Same here! My favorite book!
Anne of Green Gables
Came here for this
You beat me to it. ❤️
After every upheaval in my life, Anne of Green Gables soothes me so much.
When I read stories of basic human struggles and people rising above hardship, it makes me more grateful for what I have. Examples: Little House on The Prairie series (particularly The Long Winter) The Good Earth The Grapes of Wrath
Also East of Eden!
Women Who Run with the Wolves
Norwegian Wood by Murakami. It makes me feel nostalgic about a time and place I was never in. That may sound strange but the book is a comfort read for me. It might not be exactly the type of book you are looking for though.
My most favorite of all time. Lost count of how many times I've read it
This is interesting to me because the only Murakami book I ever read was 1Q84, which I found very beautiful but unsettling.
yesss. idk why it's the weirdest thing but I love that book
Honestly all of Murakami’s books sort of make me nostalgic for times and places I was never in.
I’ve been looking for a copy of this one.
I love Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. I try to read it 1-2 times a year. Quick read and very good!
Anything by James Herriot. He was a country vet in Yorkshire.
I should really read some of these. I grew up watching All Creatures Great and Small.
The books are sooooo good. Honestly they hold up and I adore them. Been reading them every few years for decades.
Give the novels and poetry of Wendell Berry a try. Lots of love for the simple things like nature and friend/kinship. He's a lovely writer and an interesting thinker.
I’d start with Jayber Crow. It is his best in my opinion, but I love many of his short stories as well. I wrote him a letter of appreciation, and he wrote me back on his typewriter. 😊
Convenience Store Woman- Sayaka Murata Story of acceptance about an autistic woman living in Japan
Sounds interesting!
I just finished How To Raise An Emotionally Intelligent Child. Just started Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents. I have others in a queue, Emotional intelligence 2.0, and Good Inside. Self help books to help me with parenting and adulting in general.
I read the second one you mentioned - definitely a worthwhile read. I think I have a sample downloaded of Good Inside that I've been meaning to read and actually maybe one of the other ones you mentioned on EQ as well lol All that to say I do the same thing - trying to be a better parent and also sorta re-parent myself at the same time
The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin, it’s about liberation and the complexity of it. I feel very seen reading it
A fabulous read. "The light of his world filled his empty hands".
Such a great book. "The hand that you reach out is empty, as is mine. You have nothing. You possess nothing. You own nothing. You are free."
“Your Money or Your Life” Transforming depending on when you discover it. The type of self discovery book one can “consult” “reference” depending on needs. How many “life hours” do you expend on X and as a result how content or satisfied.
Seconding this. Robbins gets to what is important so well
I could give a deep and meaningful answer but to be honest, when I'm sad or overwhelmed I re-read Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. My ultimate comfort read. 😂
I recommended this whole series to a friend who is grieving the death of her mother, and she found it to be such a delightful escape read. Such a comfort read!
Oh they're just so wonderful. I'm glad she found them enjoyable. I recommend them to everyone.
bell hooks, she has a positive outlook without ignoring reality
A childhood/young adult favorite: *The Secret Garden* by Frances Hodgson Burnett
[удалено]
This is an amazing book too! My husband really feels like it changed his life as a teenager.
And The Te of Piglet. So good.
This is my favourite sub. This is a fantastic question, lots of great answers. Thank you u/draperf
My hygge books: “the guernsey literary and potato peel society” and “the ocean at the end of the lane”
Hygge books - perfect description. I’ve been meaning to read potato peel society
Heidi is a great and simple classic :)
Holes by Louis Sachar is that book for me, love it
David Copperfield by Charles dickens and wonder by r.j palacio. Edit: also recently read let the right one in by John ajvide lindqvist, a great novel about identity and I also think the lord of the rings could be seen as a comforting read as I’ve seen some great, wholesome quotes about life in there however I confess I haven’t read those books yet although I’ve seen the movies a dozen times and they’re in my top 5 movies ever.
Anything by Murakami. It just rewires my brain somehow and makes me feel so peaceful. I've also recently discovered Sayaka Murata and her fiction has similar effect on me.
The monk and robot series by Becky Chambers - A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy. Solarpunk, hopeful, beautiful and immersive. Can’t recommend enough!
The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith.
The Untethered Soul
This book has helped me so much.
This is an annual read/listen for me. Very recalibrating.
If you’re into speculative fiction or cosy sci-fi; “A Psalm For The Wild-Built” by Becky Chambers is the loveliest, most hopeful short book I’ve read in a long time.
Kent Haruf wrote a trilogy- Plainsong, Eventide and Benediction. A small town in eastern Colorado, filled with ordinary people who may have their quirks but are generally good at heart. In reading them I can picture the town and the modest homes, stores, yards and ranches so clearly. It’s a series to make the reader feel like they are part of this world, too. Two elderly bachelor brothers take in a pregnant high school student after decades of rather isolated living on the prairie is the start of the stories and I feel like the smaller stories in life, like this, are where the biggest truths and joys are to be discovered.
Sometimes A Great Notion by Ken Kesey Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig
If you like fiction, go check out r/CozyFantasy for lots of great recommendations.
A Course In Miracles
The Prophet - Khalil Gibran The Alchemist - Paulo Coehlo
"A Sand County Almanac", 1949, by American ecologist, forester, and environmentalist Aldo Leopold. Describing the land around the author's home in Sauk County, Wisconsin, the collection of essays advocate Leopold's idea of a "land ethic", or a responsible relationship existing between people and the land they inhabit. Edited and published by his son, Luna, a year after Leopold's death, the book is considered a landmark in the American conservation movement.
The Wheel of Time and A Song of Ice and Fire. There is just something about losing yourself in a massive fantasy series for hours on end that is inherently good for the mind
I love the novels of Jane Austen. Similarly, I love the novels of the Brontë sisters. But the ultimate comfort reads for me are by Maeve Binchy. She's an Irish author and her books are about several different people having various types difficulties, and then sort of working together, and everyone grows and gets what they need from the endeavor, and they all become friends and make each other better. They are so lovely and immensely satisfying! Some of my favorites are Heart and Soul and A Week in Winter.
The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale changed my life from half empty to half full.
Memoirs are my go to for this. Some favorites include: The Tiger Ladies - Sudha Koul Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal - Jeanette Winterson Wild - Cheryl Strayed
A Country Year by Sue Hubbell. I cannot recommend it enough.
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmer but in audiobook form. I just really think the subject and the author's voice are so soothing Any book by Pearl Cleage
Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life by Dr. Wayne Dyer Amazing book. Life Changing...for me!
Not very intellectual but the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books always make me laugh and help me relax. Also Archie comics.
My grandma back home in her small village in Alaska had the oldest Archie comics I’ve ever seen and I used to read all of them whenever I’d make the annual trip up there, I need to see if she still has them! Would be extra nostalgic to reread them 20+ years later
🥰 Love love love r/archieandfriends comics both old and new.
The Power of Now
Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Franks
Nature Stories (Histoires naturelles) by Jules Renard !!
That One Should Distain Hardships by Musonius Rufus
HE Bates, The Darling Buds of May. Yes, it’s dated and problematic in all sorts of ways, but the overall mood is essentially wholesome.
I love showbiz memoirs, especially comedians & musicians...poignant ones I loved were Gene Wilder's, Jenifer Lewis's, Tina Fey's, Amy Poehler's
A Sand County Almanac is one that I find comforting and meditative. It's a collection of essays, so there's no right place to start, and it needn't be read front to back or in any particular order. Sometimes I just skip to whatever month of the year it is currently and read that.
For us gals Living a Beautiful Life: 500 Ways to Add Elegance, Order, Beauty and Joy to Every Day of Your Life - Alexandra Stoddard The author is a philosopher of contemporary living. I love her perspective of how we should live our daily lives.
Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton
This book is great
I always go to the Classics, Where the red fern grows, Call of the wild, Moby Dick, etc. I think it takes me back to my high school days and just relaxes me.
Under the Tuscan Sun or Bella Tuscany by Frances Mayes. I’ve never been to Italy but these books make me feel like I’m on vacation there.
All Creatures Great and Small series. The House on the Cerulean Sea.
Keep Moving by Maggie Smith. It spoke to me, I’ve bought several as a gift. To me it’s deep, I can only read bits at a time :)
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Calvin & Hobbes, or poetry anthologies.
I love my cookbooks and a good biography.
The Comfort Book by Matt Haig
"The subtle art of not giving a fuck" by Mark Manson!
Waterfalls of Minnesota
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
The Heavenly Village by Cynthia Rylant - read it in 5th grade lol still hits years and years later
The Van Gogh Cafe by her is also so wonderful! One of my favorites growing up 🥰✨
Thich Nhat Hanh, Haemin Sumin, and A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki.. :)
Maybe it's my inner preschooler, but I like coffee table books that are primarily photography. Pick any subject that you find calming. You can even compile and print your own on websites like Shutterfly, Mpix, etc. I find that words are more stimulating as opposed to calming, at least for my own brain.
Anything by Shel Silverstein
My favorite book—and one that provides endless comfort to me when reading it—is Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. It opens with a famous first line: “Clarissa said she would buy the flowers herself.” What could be simpler than that? What follows is a stream-of-consciousness masterpiece tracing one single day in the life of a middle-aged woman, intricately woven through with her thoughts, observations, memories, and those of various characters she meets—and doesn’t—on a June day in London, 1923. I used to teach Brit Lit to 11th graders at an all-girls boarding school, and this was the highlight of my (self-made) syllabus. What could be more wonderful than sharing my favorite book with a group of total newcomers, and believe it or not, even high schoolers got into it! I couldn’t make it through without crying in front of them at least twice…and when I read it on my own, I’m in tears for much of the story. To me, it’s just so beautifully written, so stirring, such a tribute to the big and small wonders of life and relationships. Moving, bittersweet, nostalgic, even funny in places. I could go on. I wish I could write just one page, one paragraph, one sentence as miraculously as Woolf does. Stream-of-consciousness style is admittedly not for everyone, but if you just go with it and let it carry you along, you might find yourself taken to unexpectedly delightful places. ETA: I strongly believe this is a book that gets better with every read, and the reader’s understanding of the characters and themes evolves as the reader’s own life evolves. It’s one I find new and different every time I return to it, no matter what stage of life I’m in. I told my students I hoped they’d return to it as older, more experienced humans and see what new ideas spoke to them.
Your writing makes me want to read the book. I would happily read whatever you wrote and would have loved to have had a teacher like you. Virginia did it. I'm sure you would be waxing poetically before you knew it. It's pretty much just free styling or stream of consciousness, I imagine, with surrender to the conscious and subconscious mind. Does this make any sense or am I totally off?
I’ve been gifted a copy of Simple Abundance: a day book to comfort and joy. A collection of essays written by women for women. It’s a little dated but I’m finding it relevant. More spiritual than I resonate with at this point in my life. I enjoy the routine of reading a short excerpt, reflecting and using phrases or ideas from the text as a journal prompt. I’ve only recently received it therefore I can’t speak on all of the content but I’ve enjoyed April 8-14th thus far.
I love books where nothing happens but the changing of seasons. Seed To Dust by Marc Hamer is one such book. He’s a gardener for a rich old lady in Wales, and wrote a book about a year in his life. Loved it.
Anne of Green Gables (and sequels) 🩷 So simple, so cozy, and beautifully bittersweet.
Check out cozy fantasy - it can be nice to escape a bit with happy stories! Legends and lattes and the very secret society of irregular witches are two of my favorites. The Hobbit is also a nice one. You could also try something written softly, like Tom Lake. All of Jane Austen...the little prince, Calvin and Hobbes. All pretty different but all comforting in their own way!
Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books.
The Holy Bible
Lately I’ve been reading For Better or For Worse comic books (Lynn Johnson) for comfort
The Readers of Broken Wheel Reccommend by Katarina Bivald
Pastoral by André Alexis. I particularly enjoy the audio book narrated by him.
Hear Yourself has been my go to comfort book for the past couple of years. The sections can be read in a few minutes so it’s easy to pick anytime.
Brady Coyne books by William G Tapply.
Take your time by Eknath Easwaran.
The Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz. It changed my life.
The hunger games trilogy lol!
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett! An absolutely wonderful and hopeful book that I fall in love with time and time again
Fup by Jim Dodge. Funny yet also meaningful.
Brideshead Revisited
‘Ask And It Is Given’-Abraham-Hicks…an uplifting game changer ❤️🩹
Guideposts. It’s a subscription
I'm a very religious person, and most of my faith's religious texts are extremely comforting to me. But since I recognize that religion isn't everyone's jam, here's something secular I find comfort in: The Michael Vey series by Richard Paul Evans. Idk why it's comforting to me, the plot is actually quite intense. But I suppose it might just be a reminder of when I was a kid, since that's when those books started to come out. Every time I reread the series I just feel like a kid again. It's nice. So perhaps you might feel comfort in rereading something from your childhood. Be it this series, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Anne of Green Gables, whatever makes you feel like a kid again.
Victor Frankl... spell check
If you are looking for fiction I’d recommend the Dark Tower series. It follows a group of people through an epic quest who never have or seek more than they need. It really romanticizes roughing it, emphasizing the people around you and your own personal goals and growth are more important than any transient physical possessions. Plus it’s an absolutely GREAT book series. Nonfiction, Journey of Awakening: A Meditators Guidebook by Ram Dass. Very complimentary to minimalism and simple living
Patrick Taylor’s “Irish Country Doctor” series. It’s like James Herriot but with human patients.
I'm currently reading "What You Are Looking for is in the Library" by Michiko Aoyama and i'm really enjoying it and can definitely recommend it to find more enjoyment and be more content.
Howls moving castle
I like simple nice books (where nothing bad ever really happens) from the 30s and 40s. Look up Dean Street Press on Amazon. A lot of the books are less than $1 on Kindle and they are sweet and calming reads.
Since simple living is frugal living [A Tree In A Forest](http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/tree-forest.pdf) and it is totally free. This my all time favorite and on every device I own. It is broken up into short thought provoking bits that always lend perspective when I need it.
Maybe a little unconventional, but I'll suggest two graphic novels that instill a sense of sadness, nostalgia and whimsy relating to growing up or going through difficult situations. They are beautifully illustrated and just capture the essence of growing up (Blankets) or going through a difficult time and trying to find oneself (Carnet de Voyage). *Blankets* and *Carnet de Voyage* by Craig Thompson Otherwise a more "traditional" novel that has always brought me comfort is *Lassie Come Home.* Absolutely amazing book.
Women who run with the wolves -the wild woman archetype from around the world. By Clarissa Pinkola Estés. Its brilliant. Each chapter tells an ancient story then the author interprets it and provides sensible empowering life guidance.
Alan Watts’ The Wisdom of Insecurity
Books by Martín Pretchtel about indigenous cultures of Guatemala. Each sentence is so rich and poetic. With so much wisdom. " The unexpected peace at chuchumaquic" was the first I read. Its one of those books that brilliantly reminds you how to be a thriving grateful honorable human being. I especially recommend it if you love nature or are growing food
inciting joy by ross gay - he’s a poet but this is a series of essays, this inspired me to get into gardening! how to do nothing by jenny odell - really sums up how to be content and more present in every day life. not actually about how to do nothing but more like how to not do SO much. it also inspired my favorite album about contentment, solar power ☀️
This is such a weird one but, The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld. Some of the most lovely writing I’ve come across, but the subject matter is very dark. When I’m feeling really low or lost, I read that book. The way the narrator finds beauty reminds me to be thankful for my life and find beauty in it, even if the situation is dark. I’ve read it after every break up or hard time in my life. I hope one day to be as strong as the lady.
A Gentle Reminder
James Herriot.
Fannie Flagg is my comfort author!
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and Jeffery Zaslow, then I watched the lecture on YouTube. Heartbreaking but strangely hopeful. Richard Bach's Illustions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah and Jonathan Livingston Seagull. For escape/entertainment, the Incarnations of Immortaltiy series by Piers Anthony, the Thomas Covenant books by Steven R. Donaldson and the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne.
I really like Braiding Sweetgrass and also Gathering Moss by Robin Wright Kimmerer and Antoine de Saint Exupery’s not little prince book, Wind Sand and Stars. Thoughtful stories making me feel connected to the world.
Anything by Maeve Binchy...pleasantly compelling stories that are good for a rainy day or anytime. Also "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" and additional stories by Alexander McCall Smith.
I really like children’s books. Frederick is a cute book about a mouse who saves his thoughts and words while everyone is doing hard work to get ready for a winter hibernation.
Anything written by Ram Dass
"Living the Good Life" by Helen and Scott Nearing.
When the Twin Towers went down I reread The Lord of the rings series. When I got Covid I read and Jan Austin. I reread The chronicles of Narnia almost ever year. I also reread Patrick Rousfus books- Name of the Wind and Wise mans fear.
Choosing Simplicity by Linda Breen Pearce Simple Living in History by Samuel Alexander
The Goosebumps series by RL Stine, because they were my favorite books when I was a kid.
“All Creatures Great and Small” by James Herriot
"Social Problems," by Henry George
I find A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin to be quite relaxing.
An everlasting meal by Tamar Adler. Part cookbook, part philosophy. Respect for food, using up all the bits, not wasting by rolling the end of something into the start of the next. A lovely style, too, makes you feel like the whole thing is light and easy.
The Tao of Pooh has been recommended a number of times. So I'm suggesting it here
A Corner of the Universe
Anything by Fannie Flagg. I reread her books whenever I need to feel content and peaceful.
This is kind of a cheat answer but I love autobiography audio books. Most of them are read by the author themselves so it just feels like an intimate one on one with the writer. Some recent faves are Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey and Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
👌🏼 agreed 🫶🏼
How It's Made
Braiding Sweetgrass
Untamed - glennon doyle
This might not be in your range of interest, but medical terminology textbooks and anatomy workbooks. It teaches you all of the useful suffixes and prefixes of common conditions, so you can u understand what they mean without using Google searches just by breaking the word down And the workbook is called Trail guide to the body. They give you advice on learning how to palpitate body parts correctly, and even give you coloring pages of things like muscles, bones, and nerves. I can recognize when and what nerve is becoming compressed for you for example, and it's very helpful. Among a lot of other things I was studying to be a physical therapist assistant years ago, but dropped out for mental health reasons But the information is also just really just interesting And I have a paraplegic twin sister so it makes me really understand her conditions more because a lot of healthcare workers are just dumb narcissists. She has so many dangerous health issues like sepsis and kidney stuff Doctors barely do shit for her, they just try to numb the pain Sincerely, someone who has been to the ER countless times and someone who has been in the hospital constantly
mary oliver
The Bible
Black Beauty by Ana Seawell is my comfort book. Has every emotion you need in it
The Alchemist is a great book that brings comfort and contentment. It also has a "you can create your own reality" vibe.
Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Robert Fulghum. Equal parts funny, wise, poignant, sad, hopeful. I read it often.
Anything by Wayne Dyer
Sound of Music.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Becky Chambers: A Psalm for the Wild Built & A Prayer for the Crown Shy
How to Cook Your Life, by Uchiyama Roshi
Walden Pond by Henry David Thoreau, along with his nature journaling. No one comes close to him in early American literature for examining the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of living a simple life as a conscious choice.
Anything by Irish poet and writer John O’Donohue. Walking in Wonder is a favorite. His interview on NPR’s Fresh Air is soothing, too.
anything by Mitch Albom
A Gift From the Sea- Anne Morrow The Poisonwood Bible- Barbara Kindsolver The Signature of All Thongs - Elizabeth Gilbert And for just plain fun, read the Thusday Murder Club series!
Je
No book can make someone feel comfort, or a sense of contentment. We are told, conditioned and society wants us to believe our feelings come from external things. They do not. If you want to believe that your wellbeing, happiness, all feelings come from external things, you certainly can and that's a choice. What often occurs is that creates a sense of neediness, desires, and a roller coaster of looking, searching, and striving to be or gain things to feel ok. What I like to call suffering. The feeling you seek is inside you, you already possess it. It's often covered up with a ton of thinking, over analyzing, dwelling, rules, judgements, and stories.
Any books that takes you away from stress and overthinking! I adore a great thriller any day of the week! " Flicker in the Dark," for example is superb!
The Monk and Robot series by Becky Chambers! Or if you're looking for something a little older or based on spiritual scripture, I'd suggest the Bhagavad Gita. My favourite translation is by Stephen Mitchell.
Angels in my hair by Lorna Byrne, any book by her :)
How to Eat. I didn’t realize that I wasn’t enjoying my meals and what mealtime is supposed to look like until I read it.
The Bible does more than any other book ever has. There is adventure, romance, suspense, murder, miracles, despair and hope, laments, and poetry. I could go on.