The Comfort Book by Matt Haig

THE COMFORT BOOK by Matt Haig should provide solace to anyone in these uncertain times. I have been reading and recommending works for years by best-selling author Matt Haig, including The Midnight Library. And THE COMFORT BOOK, described by one reviewer as the “literary equivalent of a steaming hot chocolate on a chilly day,” definitely merits slow savoring.  Haig, who often writes about mental health and his own experiences, has collected encouraging stories, notes, and lists on all varieties of subject matter. For example, he recounts the time he and his father were lost in a forest but followed the strategy: “if we keep going in a straight line, we’ll get out of here.” Like Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, Haig reminds us that “the bottom of the valley never has the clearest view. … sometimes all you need to do in order to rise up again is to keep moving forward.” The chapters are short and one could browse this book (like Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Gmorning, Gnight!) on a daily basis. One particularly memorable quote for me is “it’s okay to be the teacup with a chip in it. That’s the one with a story.” I missed having a table of contents or some type of structure, but Haig says, “This book is as messy as life. … the theme is connection. … And we connect to all things. Human to human. Moment to moment. Pain to pleasure. Despair to hope.” Enjoy! 

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY by Matt Haig is one of my favorite books of the year. This imaginative novel explores the idea of divergent parallel universes and tells the story of Nora who is unhappy in her current life. Haven’t we all wondered about the other choices we could have made? Caught between life and death, Nora enters a magical library where different life stories exist and she is able to visit alternative lives exploring glaciers, as a swimming champion, as a famous lead singer, as a wife and mother.  Along the way, she struggles with her own Book of Regrets and eventually accepts that “the only way to learn is to live” for “sadness is intrinsically part of the fabric of happiness. You can’t have one without the other.” Haig’s series of adventures (in some ways reminiscent of It’s a Wonderful Life) will certainly have readers reflecting on the impact of their own lives. I loved when he pointed out, “Librarians have knowledge. They guide you to the right books. The right worlds. They find the best places. Like soul-enhanced search engines.” 

Haig is a prolific writer; his works include a number of stories for children.  In addition, I have found Haig’s writing about depression (Notes on a Nervous Planet or Reasons to Stay Alive) to be quite insightful and would also definitely recommend his How to Stop Time, another adult novel that blends introspection and adventure (rumored to be a movie soon). Haig says, “it’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see;” enjoy THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY from your own perspective – it received a starred review from Booklist. 

Believe in the World by Amy Gash and Elise Howard

BELIEVE IN THE WORLD by Amy Gash and Elise Howard is a surprisingly small book (roughly 5 x 7 or the size of a large greeting card), but it packs a big punch. Touted as “an inspiring and delightful illustrated collection of quotations” and subtitled “Wisdom for Grown-Ups from Children's Books,” this work offers hours of enjoyment and reflection. The authors, an executive editor at Algonquin books and a literary agent, have done an excellent job of updating the earlier collection, What the Dormouse Said. Including “classic” references (e.g., Ramona Forever by Beverly Cleary) as well as more contemporary ones (e.g., All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven and I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai), the authors loosely group the quotes under five headings: How to be Good in the World, How to be Joyful, How to be Strong, How to be at Home, and How to Believe in the World. I love it, I love the quotes, and I love the mentions of favorite titles like Nancy Farmer’s The Sea of Trolls, Mitali Perkins’ You Bring the Distant Near, Christopher Paul Curtis’ Bud, Not Buddy, or Julie Andrews Edwards’ The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles, to name a very few. I could go on and on. Put BELIEVE IN THE WORLD on your book shelf next to works like Matt Haig’s The Comfort Book, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Gmorning, Gnight! and Charlie Mackesy’s The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. Better yet – enjoy searching out and reading the many, many high quality and hopeful children’s books referenced in BELIEVE IN THE WORLD. A new favorite quote: “This day will never, no matter how long you live, happen again. It is exquisitely singular.” ~Naomi Shihab Nye

Twice by Mitch Albom

TWICE by Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie and The Stranger in the Lifeboat) is his latest take on the choices we make. This story asks, “what if you got to do everything in your life – again?” The main character, Alfie Logan, has the inherited ability to transport himself back in time and therefore change most future events. It is a tempting proposition and one which takes time and development of some self-restraint to use wisely. Overall, the story opened quite slowly as readers are introduced to the concept and learn more about its nuances. These happenings are contrasted with a police investigation of a possible casino swindle which is not resolved until the final pages. Despite his unique abilities, Alfie is not a particularly likeable character and he has many regrets, especially regarding the woman he loves. He says, “The truth is, you never do as much good as you could.” She says, “I figure every little thing that happens is part of life or fate or God or whatever leading me to where I'm supposed to be.” Albom will once again have readers examining their own life decisions. TWICE received a starred review from Booklist who recommended it for “fans of Matt Haig and Nikki Erlick.”