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My Favorite Things; Beloved Dog; and The Principles of Uncertainty— all by Maira Kalman (TED talk: The illustrated woman) I really enjoyed this beautifully written memoir, a mixture of philosophy with the author coming to terms with the death of her father and her insightful story about training a pet goshawk. It’s a great holiday present for someone, particularly if they love birds of prey. This is a fantastic and beautifully illustrated children’s book with lots of enjoyable monsters and trivia about Switzerland, where I spent most of my life. And the author just happens to be my mother, who started writing popular Swiss children’s books as a 70-year-old retired teacher! It makes me feel both at home and truly inspired to follow my dreams. While ostensibly a children’s book, this gem has important lessons for adults. It’s about the importance of savoring the breadth, length, height and depth of life, rather than focusing on narrow goals. It encourages us to look at the world with childlike wonder rather than through the “rational” lens of a battle-weary grownup.
Read it because: It's a compelling memoir that will inspire you and move you all at once. The book is a window into one woman's real-life journey of lost identity and physical struggle. Whenever I want a good laugh, I browse this compilation of haikus by several of the Japanese masters. Descriptive phrases like “Morning breeze riffling the caterpillar’s hair” and “Year after year, a monkey’s face, on the monkey’s face” capture nature like I’ve never seen elsewhere. Their appreciation for the mundane and the way in which they find hilarity in the natural world makes for a book to be read out loud — whether you’re around the campfire or when you’re enjoying time with friends and family. At a time when looking after our mental health and human connection is more important than ever, the Feel Good Book Club provides an opportunity for readers to chat over a cuppa and a good wellbeing book.
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There’s a new generation of female illustrators whose work combines art and insight in the same tradition as Kalman’s. My favorite is Kimothy Joy; her illustrated book That’s What She Said is a collection of colorful drawings and Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson In this memoir, First Lady Michelle Obama is elegant and unapologetic about living your truth, being of great public service, dreaming big, and never giving up. She is eloquent, raw and real in describing her personal experiences and how she found her voice. Her account of public service — both in the White House and in her private life — is truly remarkable, and I’m excited to see this book encourage others to “become” the next, greater version of themselves. In a Holidaze is a holiday rom-com that starts after a Christmas in which a lot goes wrong for Maelyn at her family’s usual “Christmas with friends” at a snowy Utah cabin. She leaves wishing to find happiness, and it seems like things can’t get worse until a car crash occurs. There’s nothing quite like a good book to warm your heart, lift your spirits, and bring you comfort. Whether they’re feel-good classic novels or recently published uplifting books, I’m always turning to books to add a little more joy to my day.
Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment by Robert Wright (TED talk: The evolution of compassion)It might seem strange to include a nonfiction book about climate change in a list of feel-good books, but in it, Vince tells how she quit her job as a journalist to travel the world and find people who are having to adapt to our changing world. What she uncovers is an uplifting story of the ingenuity of humans. It’s beautifully written, and you will come away inspired. Novella is right up there with Carl Sagan as people who taught me the joy and humility that comes with understanding how our brains actually work (or don’t!) in our quest to understand the cosmos and ourselves. This is the ultimate guide to critical thinking, with all the charm and irreverence that Steve and the other “Rogues” bring to their weekly podcast of the same name. As the subtitle suggests, this book comes at a time when we need it most. Eleanor has difficulty with social skills and is used to being alone until one day, she saves an elderly man who has fallen with the help of Raymond from her work. The three develop a friendship that is able to help heal Eleanor. The excitement doesn’t end once the book’s finished, as club members are invited to come together and review the read of the month on the Feel Good Book Club Facebook group. The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson
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