5 books to read when life feels shit
Featuring Baldwin, beach houses, and a wistful walk through New York City...
Oof. Life feels heavy right now. Very heavy. The timings of the US election meant that I started watching the results unfold with my morning iced coffee, and was on my second glass of red by the time Trump made his victory speech. I smoked two cigarettes, cried into my third glass of red, and then I did the one thing—the only thing—that I knew would improve my mood, and I got into bed with Jane Green.
I’m half-way through the only book of hers I haven’t read before (Tempting Fate for anyone who might be interested), and she has long been one of my go-tos when it comes to up-lifting fiction.
And so, while this isn’t intended as a commentary on US politics—there are many writers better suited to that (Dear Men, the Women in Your Life Are Not OK Right Now by
is one of the best pieces I’ve read on the topic)—I hope to offer a bit of escapism on what feels like an especially dreary day for humankind, with a selection of 5 books to read when life feels shit.The Day of the Storm by Rosamunde Pilcher
Look, I know some people find Rosamunde Pilcher a bit twee—but, truly, I live for her books. When I’m reading them, all feels right with the world. In The Day of the Storm, there’s an rickety bookshop in Fulham, a ravishing home in Cornwall, an enigmatic furniture-maker and all the ingredients needed for a serious dose of escapism. Imminently readable, The Day of The Storm showcases Pilcher at her story-telling best.
Dark Days by James Baldwin
Much to my shame, I was a latecomer to Baldwin—but the upside has been reading his entire back catalogue for the first time, perhaps when I was better placed to appreciate it. Giovanni’s Room is my favorite, but Dark Days—so slim it hardly qualifies as a novella—feels especially fitting for a day like today. Despite its mere 50 pages, Baldwin’s prose is powerful, thoughtful, and laced with righteous anger. A searing collection of three essays, published between 1960 and 1985—and still, more than ever, terrifyingly relevant—Dark Days captures Baldwin’s reflections on prejudice in an America violently divided by race. It goes without saying that the impact of reading his essays—as I did this morning—is tenfold on a day like today.
The Beach House by Jane Green
No one does edifying fiction quite like Jane Green. While I love each of her books, if I had to pick a favourite, The Beach House would take the crown. Set in a rambling beach house on an island off Cape Cod, it tells the story of bohemian Nan, who—when faced with selling her home—decides instead to turn it into a boarding house. What follows is a poignant, compulsive read, as Nan’s beloved home is once more filled with life—until an unexpected visitor arrives. The ultimate in escapism—what’s not to love?