The World Is On Fire. These 10 Books Make Me Feel A Little Bit Better.
I know, I know, everything is terrible. I’m not arguing that point. And lots of people, myself included, are struggling with which books to reach for at the moment. The romances feel too trite and low-stakes for the world we live in. The dystopias feel too real. So where does that leave those of us who rely on books for escapism when the world is descending into madness?
These ten books have made me feel a little bit better in recent days— maybe they’ll help you, too.
1. Homer’s Odyssey (specifically Emily Wilson’s translation)
It’s somewhat comforting to remember that humans have been around for longer than 2,024 years. And we’ve been making art and telling stories that whole time. And, in the case of a piece like Wilson’s translation of The Odyssey, we’ve been finding new interpretations and new versions of those stories for over a thousand years. Which indicates that even under poor circumstances, we’re unlikely to stop telling stories and making art and developing history. Human history is pretty vast— it’s nice to have some solid proof that it hasn’t been pointless.
2. Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel
I love this book for so many reasons. It remains deeply eerie to me how prescient this book was for its time— it was written before the 2020 pandemic, before the Trump-era attempted book bans, before Project 2025, before SpaceX. And yet. It engages and discusses the value of art and music as an explicit juxtaposition to religious fanaticism— and does so deftly, in a way that continues to make sense in a world that rapidly moves towards extremes.
3. The Lord of the Rings , by JRR Tolkein
If you know me, even a little bit, you already knew that these books would be on this list. These books are, fundamentally, about hope in the face of darkness, about individual choice and conviction being the traits that define a society in its most challenging days.
4. A Gentleman in Moscow , by Amor Towles
Among other things, I find historical escapism in the context of a luxury hotel and a revolution quite appealing. But what makes this book so special is its focus on individual relationships and perhaps more importantly, on dignity and endurance.
5. The Redwall series, by Brian Jacques
Listen, I really just want to disappear into the woods and eat some delicious extravagant food and maybe do a battle with a sword every now and then. Okay?
6. Gulp, or whatever topic you’re most interested in by Mary Roach
There’s this idea that we all have to have hope, right now. And that hope is what will keep us going. But you know what I’ve realized from my own experiences with mental health issues over the years? When I don’t have hope, I do have curiosity. There’s always something new to learn, even if there’s not much new to look forward to. And that’s where Mary Roach’s books are exceptionally helpful— she picks through tiny little very complicated microcosms of earthly existence in ways that make them approachable and interesting.
7. The Little Prince , by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
This book is just comfort in a picture book. Read it in English or French, it doesn’t matter. It’s simple and profound and necessary.
8. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Maybe a little too close to our current reality, I know. But important to think about, and important to remember: bad things have happened before. And we (humans) have survived them.
9. Dog Songs by Mary Oliver
I’ve seen lots of people recommending Devotions in recent years, but Dog Songs is by far my favorite Mary Oliver collection. Dogs make life better— more complicated, simpler, sillier, sadder, sweeter— and I’ve never read anything that summed it up more than this poetry collection. And since I’ve spent the past week hugging my dog at every opportunity, it seems like a valid recommendation.
10. Project Hail Mary , by Andy Weir
Because sometimes I think we need a reminder that humans are, ultimately, capable of goodness. Capable of recognizing fault and folly, and making change. This book is so wholeheartedly hopeful, and in ways that make me genuinely believe we can collectively be better. Also, the anthropologist in me likes this story.
So. Hope, curiosity, and endurance. Hopefully you can find some solace in at least one of the three as we venture into the days ahead.
