Hi, everyone,
I’m going through a rough patch and I need recommendations for books which would meet me there. Not stories of “grit” and “overcoming adversity”, but “I’ve done everything I could and it still wasn’t enough and now what.”
“The Mourner’s Bestiary” by Eiren Caffall is an example for what I’m looking for — things are different and bad, but also beautiful and powerful.
“Lord of the Rings” is definitely there, the daily acts of life and hope in the long defeat.
I’ve been on a Vietnam War kick a while back and Karl Marlantes’ “Matterhorn” also struck the note. The relentless endurance.
Barbara Kingsolver’s “Unsheltered”, even though I didn’t finish the ladder.
Things like Min Jin Lee’s “Pachinko” might be too sad.
I’ve been through some bad things in my life and I’ve always dealt with them by outperforming, outrunning them. And I need something from which I can learn (narratively, emotionally) how to sit with bad situations.
Thank you!
by StoneWarmer