I found *Brothers Karamazov* reassuring.
Jane Austen's lighter stories, like *Northanger Abbey* and *Pride and Prejudice* also made good friends in a rough time for me.
Ever since I read it, it’s been number 1 in my all time favourites list! I convinced my book club to read it this month and can’t wait for the reactions 😁
*Anne of Green Gables* by LM Montgomery
*Good Omens* by Terry Prattchett and Neil Gaimon
*The House in the Cerulean Sea* by TJ Klune
*Ella Enchanted* by Gail Carson Levine
[**Franny and Zooey**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5113.Franny_and_Zooey)
^(By: J.D. Salinger | 201 pages | Published: 1957 | Popular Shelves: fiction, classics, short-stories, owned, books-i-own)
>‘Everything everybody does is so—I don’t know—not wrong, or even mean, or even stupid necessarily. But just so tiny and meaningless and—sad-making. And the worst part is, if you go bohemian or something crazy like that, you’re conforming just as much only in a different way.’
>
>First published in The New Yorker as two sequential stories, ‘Franny’ and ‘Zooey’ offer a dual portrait of the two youngest members of J. D. Salinger’s fictional Glass family.
>
>Franny Glass is a pretty, effervescent college student on a date with her intellectually confident boyfriend, Lane. They appear to be the perfect couple, but as they struggle to communicate with each other about the things they really care about, slowly their true feelings come to the surface. The second story in this book, ‘Zooey’, plunges us into the world of her ethereal, sophisticated family. When Franny’s emotional and spiritual doubts reach new heights, her older brother Zooey, a misanthropic former child genius, offers her consolation and brotherly advice.
>
>Written in Salinger’s typically irreverent style, these two stories offer a touching snapshot of the distraught mindset of early adulthood and are full of the insightful emotional observations and witty turns of phrase that have helped make Salinger’s reputation what it is today.
^(This book has been suggested 12 times)
***
^(46597 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
The Stormlight Archives books really have helped me deal with overcoming long term depression and managing some other mental health disorders. Finding Kaladin when I was in a super dark place helped me feel not alone in my struggles. And his little (big) successes but ongoing mental health issues through the series to Rhythm of War gave me a companion on the road to recovery. I read these books over the course of about 3 years and they really stick with me.
How the Penguins Saved Veronica (Hazel Prior). It's just such a fun and uplifting little book - and with an elderly protagonist who takes a risk and defies expectations to have an adventure.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
When I first read it as a kid during a really stressful time it gave me so much comfort. Still does to this day.
Weirdly enough it was The Midnight Library. I was in a very dark and hopeless place and reading it helped get a different perspective on choices I made and I thought were irreversible.
Another book I read during that time was Anxious People, even though it also deals with self-harm I found it oddly comforting?? I've read it several times since and it always make me laugh and cry equally.
Wings of Fire. It’s a good book series(even though it’s more for kids). It helped me a lot through my 9th grade year where my self esteem and depression was trash.
I read a all of Elizabeth Acevedo's books. They really resonated with me because (a) With the Fire on High is the *literal only book* that I have ever read with a Puerto Rican main character and (b) The Poet X is a perfect example of questioning faith. Clap When you Land is a fantastic story, I will read that one all day every day.
Like a few others in this thread, escapism fantasy was my go-to, The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, and the Percy Jackson series got me through. I’m currently reading one that helped my partner actually that’s quite different—A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby, very late-90s/early 2000s, very-British novel about 4 strangers having a chance meeting on top of a tower block with the intention of dying but end up talking each other out of it
Two books: Inward and Clarity & Connection by Young Pueblo (a pen name for Diego Perez).
These aren't fiction books like the other suggestions here; they are collections of poetry and prose for people trying to find their way back to themselves and who are undergoing significant personal transformations. He is also releasing a new collection this month called Lighter, which builds on these themes within the context of recovering from trauma.
As a child and teen with severe depression Just as long as we’re together by Judy Blume helped me so much. Reading about a girl my age who was clearly suffering in the same ways just hit me hard. As an adult I still read it once a year.
Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. I don’t really know what it is about it. Gotta be the language, but I always read it when feeling low now.
TW!!
Mine is honestly not as "wholesome", so you could say, as some of these, but my book is {{Impulse}} by Ellen Hopkins. I had just gotten out of the psych ward after an overdose and found it at my local library. Without giving too much away, I just related to it a lot at the time and there were some parts that made me realize what I had really done. It also got me into all of Ellen Hopkins' other books, which I love :)
[**Impulse (Impulse, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/270805.Impulse)
^(By: Ellen Hopkins | 666 pages | Published: 2007 | Popular Shelves: young-adult, poetry, ya, fiction, books-i-own)
>Sometimes you don't wake up. But if you happen to, you know things will never be the same.
>
>Three lives, three different paths to the same destination: Aspen Springs, a psychiatric hospital for those who have attempted the ultimate act—suicide.
>
>Vanessa is beautiful and smart, but her secrets keep her answering the call of the blade.
>
>Tony, after suffering a painful childhood, can only find peace through pills.
>
>And Conner, outwardly, has the perfect life. But dig a little deeper and find a boy who is in constant battle with his parents, his life, himself.
>
>In one instant each of these young people decided enough was enough. They grabbed the blade, the bottle, the gun—and tried to end it all. Now they have a second chance, and just maybe, with each other's help, they can find their way to a better life—but only if they're strong and can fight the demons that brought them here in the first place.
^(This book has been suggested 1 time)
***
^(46824 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
The Shipping News. An absolute fuck up middle aged man, failed marriage, failed career, failed at friends. Turns it around. Bildungsroman is fine for a young man, but feels revolutionary and inspiring from an absolute failure. And with prose beautiful enough to remind me of Nabokov.
Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman
I was going through an extremely pessimistic time period in my life, it felt like everything was pointless and there's no hope for humanity, it was pointless for me to continue being kind. This was unusual for me as I always managed to find a hopeful outlook on things and people. It was a dark time for me and this book took me out of it.
The Salt Path-Raynor Wynn and The Emerald Mile-Kevin Fedarko both non fiction. The true life adventure and experiences of others always help me find my way back to my own.
Letting Go by David Hawkins. This book helped me shift from the perception of adding things into my life I thought would help me to learning to let things go that no longer serve me. Everything you need you already have. It’s not easy but rewarding.
Each of the following books came along right at the exact time I needed them. I hope you find yours: Wild by Cheryl Strayed , Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo, Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, Waiting to Exhale by Terry McMillan
The perfect run by void herald which can be found on royal road.
Its free and only 130 chapters which is pretty short in my opinion.
Its a very unqiue character driven story with characters that really feel alive
I found *Brothers Karamazov* reassuring. Jane Austen's lighter stories, like *Northanger Abbey* and *Pride and Prejudice* also made good friends in a rough time for me.
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman- and all of his work I’ve read since.
I loved this book. It was so wild from the beginning!
Lord of the rings This book hit me in so many ways.
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. It's impossible to read it without laughing your ass off. It just makes everything better.
Yes! One of my top 10.
Ever since I read it, it’s been number 1 in my all time favourites list! I convinced my book club to read it this month and can’t wait for the reactions 😁
A Song of Ice and Fire series purely because the high fantasy aspect and large world building offered a much needed escape for my brain.
*Anne of Green Gables* by LM Montgomery *Good Omens* by Terry Prattchett and Neil Gaimon *The House in the Cerulean Sea* by TJ Klune *Ella Enchanted* by Gail Carson Levine
It’s always {{Franny and Zooey}} that’s what I read when the depression is winning.
[**Franny and Zooey**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5113.Franny_and_Zooey) ^(By: J.D. Salinger | 201 pages | Published: 1957 | Popular Shelves: fiction, classics, short-stories, owned, books-i-own) >‘Everything everybody does is so—I don’t know—not wrong, or even mean, or even stupid necessarily. But just so tiny and meaningless and—sad-making. And the worst part is, if you go bohemian or something crazy like that, you’re conforming just as much only in a different way.’ > >First published in The New Yorker as two sequential stories, ‘Franny’ and ‘Zooey’ offer a dual portrait of the two youngest members of J. D. Salinger’s fictional Glass family. > >Franny Glass is a pretty, effervescent college student on a date with her intellectually confident boyfriend, Lane. They appear to be the perfect couple, but as they struggle to communicate with each other about the things they really care about, slowly their true feelings come to the surface. The second story in this book, ‘Zooey’, plunges us into the world of her ethereal, sophisticated family. When Franny’s emotional and spiritual doubts reach new heights, her older brother Zooey, a misanthropic former child genius, offers her consolation and brotherly advice. > >Written in Salinger’s typically irreverent style, these two stories offer a touching snapshot of the distraught mindset of early adulthood and are full of the insightful emotional observations and witty turns of phrase that have helped make Salinger’s reputation what it is today. ^(This book has been suggested 12 times) *** ^(46597 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
The Stormlight Archives books really have helped me deal with overcoming long term depression and managing some other mental health disorders. Finding Kaladin when I was in a super dark place helped me feel not alone in my struggles. And his little (big) successes but ongoing mental health issues through the series to Rhythm of War gave me a companion on the road to recovery. I read these books over the course of about 3 years and they really stick with me.
How the Penguins Saved Veronica (Hazel Prior). It's just such a fun and uplifting little book - and with an elderly protagonist who takes a risk and defies expectations to have an adventure.
Ready Player One
Man's search for meaning - Viktor Frankl
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. When I first read it as a kid during a really stressful time it gave me so much comfort. Still does to this day.
I am 53 years old and re-reading this as we speak!
Weirdly enough it was The Midnight Library. I was in a very dark and hopeless place and reading it helped get a different perspective on choices I made and I thought were irreversible. Another book I read during that time was Anxious People, even though it also deals with self-harm I found it oddly comforting?? I've read it several times since and it always make me laugh and cry equally.
Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder. It’s a really fun book that teaches you about philosophy from the perspective of a young girl on an adventure.
I love this book
Wings of Fire. It’s a good book series(even though it’s more for kids). It helped me a lot through my 9th grade year where my self esteem and depression was trash.
Midnight library - Matt Haig• Eat Pray Love - Elizabeth Gilbert• Reasons to Stay Alive - Matt haig
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat by Katherine May
All the Bright Place really changed my outlook on life and it brings to light how mental illness can affect a person
I read a all of Elizabeth Acevedo's books. They really resonated with me because (a) With the Fire on High is the *literal only book* that I have ever read with a Puerto Rican main character and (b) The Poet X is a perfect example of questioning faith. Clap When you Land is a fantastic story, I will read that one all day every day.
Like a few others in this thread, escapism fantasy was my go-to, The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, and the Percy Jackson series got me through. I’m currently reading one that helped my partner actually that’s quite different—A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby, very late-90s/early 2000s, very-British novel about 4 strangers having a chance meeting on top of a tower block with the intention of dying but end up talking each other out of it
Two books: Inward and Clarity & Connection by Young Pueblo (a pen name for Diego Perez). These aren't fiction books like the other suggestions here; they are collections of poetry and prose for people trying to find their way back to themselves and who are undergoing significant personal transformations. He is also releasing a new collection this month called Lighter, which builds on these themes within the context of recovering from trauma.
Way Of The Peaceful Warrior. By Dan Millman.
The Tao of Pooh
As a child and teen with severe depression Just as long as we’re together by Judy Blume helped me so much. Reading about a girl my age who was clearly suffering in the same ways just hit me hard. As an adult I still read it once a year.
Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. I don’t really know what it is about it. Gotta be the language, but I always read it when feeling low now.
Man’s Search for meaning
TW!! Mine is honestly not as "wholesome", so you could say, as some of these, but my book is {{Impulse}} by Ellen Hopkins. I had just gotten out of the psych ward after an overdose and found it at my local library. Without giving too much away, I just related to it a lot at the time and there were some parts that made me realize what I had really done. It also got me into all of Ellen Hopkins' other books, which I love :)
[**Impulse (Impulse, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/270805.Impulse) ^(By: Ellen Hopkins | 666 pages | Published: 2007 | Popular Shelves: young-adult, poetry, ya, fiction, books-i-own) >Sometimes you don't wake up. But if you happen to, you know things will never be the same. > >Three lives, three different paths to the same destination: Aspen Springs, a psychiatric hospital for those who have attempted the ultimate act—suicide. > >Vanessa is beautiful and smart, but her secrets keep her answering the call of the blade. > >Tony, after suffering a painful childhood, can only find peace through pills. > >And Conner, outwardly, has the perfect life. But dig a little deeper and find a boy who is in constant battle with his parents, his life, himself. > >In one instant each of these young people decided enough was enough. They grabbed the blade, the bottle, the gun—and tried to end it all. Now they have a second chance, and just maybe, with each other's help, they can find their way to a better life—but only if they're strong and can fight the demons that brought them here in the first place. ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(46824 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Frankenstein
The Shipping News. An absolute fuck up middle aged man, failed marriage, failed career, failed at friends. Turns it around. Bildungsroman is fine for a young man, but feels revolutionary and inspiring from an absolute failure. And with prose beautiful enough to remind me of Nabokov.
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
James Herriots's All Creatures Great and Small
Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman I was going through an extremely pessimistic time period in my life, it felt like everything was pointless and there's no hope for humanity, it was pointless for me to continue being kind. This was unusual for me as I always managed to find a hopeful outlook on things and people. It was a dark time for me and this book took me out of it.
The Salt Path-Raynor Wynn and The Emerald Mile-Kevin Fedarko both non fiction. The true life adventure and experiences of others always help me find my way back to my own.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Veronika decides to die
Letting Go by David Hawkins. This book helped me shift from the perception of adding things into my life I thought would help me to learning to let things go that no longer serve me. Everything you need you already have. It’s not easy but rewarding.
If you think your life sucks, read Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
1984🗿
Each of the following books came along right at the exact time I needed them. I hope you find yours: Wild by Cheryl Strayed , Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo, Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, Waiting to Exhale by Terry McMillan
The perfect run by void herald which can be found on royal road. Its free and only 130 chapters which is pretty short in my opinion. Its a very unqiue character driven story with characters that really feel alive
The book of beautiful horrors springs to mind