Book Corner: Feel-good reads to inspire calm
I don't know who needs to hear this, but it's OK to take a break from constantly scrolling the news, even on Election Day. The 24/7 availability of news and social media isn't all that great for our mental health, as it can reinforce negative thinking and worsen anxiety. So let's all put our phones down for a bit and calm our nerves with these entertaining, hope-inspiring novels.
"A Psalm for the Wild-Built" by Becky Chambers. Chambers first brought me into the world of what I think of as "cozy sci-fi" with "The Long Way to A Small, Angry Planet." In the first of her Monk and Robot series, it's been ages since the robots of Panga became sentient and fled the city, disappearing into the wilderness and becoming the stuff of legends. Two years ago, a monk named Dex left the city to travel between rural villages selling tea, while seeking to answer the question "Why wasn't the City enough for me?" Now, Dex decides to steer away from all civilization toward an old hermitage, where they encounter Mosscap, a robot on its own quest. Mosscap's big question is "What do the people need?" A thought-provoking reflection on life's meaning unfolds as Dex and Mosscap pursue their own quest to find answers in a world where nature and technology have found a new way to exist in tandem.
"The Life Impossible" by Matt Haig. Retired math teacher Grace Winters unexpectedly inherits property in Ibiza from her old friend Christina, so she escapes her humdrum life in England and moves into Christina's rundown house. Grace has no idea why Christina left her the house or how she died, but she's determined to follow the advice Christina left in a note: Find Alberto to see the seagrass meadow below the Mediterranean. When Grace and Alberto scuba dive below the sea, Grace is touched by "La Presencia," a shifting blue light that Alberto claims is a portal to another world. Grace is left with mind-reading and telekinetic abilities, which she first uses to hilarious effect, then turns her newfound skills to the good, working to save the island from a corrupt developer. Haig deftly weaves a tale of hope, adventure and new beginnings.
"On Rotation" by Shirlene Obuobi. This engaging debut by ShirlyWhirl cartoonist and cardiology fellow Obuobi centers on Angie Appiah, a Ghanaian American medical student in Chicago. After Angie's boyfriend dumps her, she meets the handsome, artistic Ricky, who happens to be taken. Anyway, Angie has bigger concerns, such as getting her adviser to approve her research on the inequitable treatment of Black people in medicine. Somehow, though, Ricky keeps popping up, and when he becomes single, things get more complicated. The richly described Chicago setting and unexpected plot turns, dosed with humor, will have you rooting for Angie.
"I Wish We Weren't Related" by Radhika Sanghani. Reeva Mehta, like most thirty-somethings, has a lot going on between her high-pressure job, new boyfriend and trying to get her new cat to like her. Then things take a weird turn when her Bollywood actress mother announces that her father has died ...except Reeva and her sisters were told he'd died 30 years ago. And, Reeva learns, her father's dying wish was for Reeva and her sisters, Sita and Jaya, to spend two weeks together at his house performing traditional Hindu prayers with relatives they'd never met. Now Reeva must drop her busy life to find out who her father was while reconnecting with her sisters and trying to preserve her own sanity. Anyone who enjoys family drama with a dash of fun will love this one.
"We'll Prescribe You a Cat" by Syou Ishida. This one had me at "prescribe me a cat," which sounds almost as good as bibliotherapy. Concealed in a Kyoto alley, the only people who can find the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul are those who are struggling and truly need help. The medication they receive? A cat. When patients "take" their cat for the prescribed time, their lives improve dramatically. With each chapter, you'll witness the metamorphosis of a different character, from a disenchanted businessman who discovers a love for physical labor; an elementary school girl navigating class dynamics; a geisha stuck on the memory of her lost cat; and others. Each of the clinic's patients begins to heal through the interactions with their animal companion, leading them toward hope and self-discovery.
Further enhance your calm with Quiet Reading Time at the Howell Branch of Central Rappahannock Regional Library, where you can read with others in a quiet, supportive environment. Visit librarypoint.org/events for details.
