Bookworm Cottage Style

As we stare down four years of political uncertainty, books can be the ultimate source of comfort. This December, here are four books I’ve read and enjoyed that can help restore your faith in humanity and heal a weary soul. 

84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (1970; 106 pages) // Yes, I recommended this book last month too. I reread it the week of the election and it was such a balm for the soul. If you need a refresher, 84, Charing Cross Road is not a typical story – it is actually just a collection of real-life letters sent between a New York writer and a London bookseller over the span of two decades. I laughed, I cried, and I became so invested in their cross-continental friendship. The book itself is slim (just under 100 pages with lots of white space) and can be read in  about an hour or two. 

Red, White & Royal Blue, by Casey McQuiston (2019, 448 pages) // This is a fantastic, steamy LGBTQ romance about the son of the President of the United States who falls for the Prince of Wales. Not wanting to draw attention to their relationship and not wanting to hurt his mother’s presidential re-election campaign, the two embark on a clandestine, cross-continental relationship. In the acknowledgements, McQuiston writes that she had a slightly different book in mind in early 2016, but after the 2016 election she realized that the book “needed to be escapist, trauma-soothing, alternate-but-realistic reality” and a “spark of joy and hope.” As many of those 2016 feelings bubble up to the surface again, this book has never felt more timely.  

These Precious Days: Essays, by Ann Patchett (2021, 320 pages) // Even if you think you aren’t really into essay collections, do yourself a favor and give this book a try. This beautiful essay collection from one of the loveliest writers of our time is just the kind of life-giving prose that we need right now. The titular essay in particular was incredibly moving, about how Patchett opened up her home during the height of the pandemic to a friend going through cancer treatment and the gift of their friendship. 

The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times, by Michelle Obama (2022, 312 pages) // If you’re feeling down or need a spring in your step, The Light We Carry is a great book to turn to. Obama reflects on the disappointment of the 2016 election (something that is unfortunately very relevant again) and the isolation and uncertainty of the pandemic. Admittedly this book did not change my worldview as much as some other titles in the self-help genre, as many of the author’s tips are somewhat common sense or have been written about at length elsewhere. That being said, sometimes you just need a pep talk, and who better to get one from than the lovely Michelle Obama. Although I read and enjoyed the physical copy, I imagine this would be wonderful on audio.