What to Read When the World Feels Overwhelming

In moments of crisis, big and small, we reach to the arts for both entertainment and comfort, hoping for any kind of momentary relief from the problems around us. (Escapism! It works.) For me, comfort is most frequently found in books. When lockdown hit, with more time on my hands than I’ve had in years, I found myself reaching for books from my past, that I could trust would help. So, if, like me, recent circumstances have left you feeling anxious or lost, here are some books I recommend: 

1.  A book I will recommend each and every day, no matter what the world looks like, but especially in these times of uncertainty, is Parable of the Sower, by Octavia E. Butler. Written in the early 90s, it takes place in what was then the relatively distant future, and is now almost our present – the United States in the year 2025, where society has collapsed, and the world is riddled with famine, droughts, disease, immense poverty, and persecution of ethnic and religious minorities. The science fiction novel was intended as a cautionary tale, but mirrors so many of the tragedies the world is currently facing – not, perhaps, everyone’s first choice for a comforting narrative, but what draws me to Butler’s novel is the protagonist’s unfailing strength in the face of disaster. She is young, grieving, constantly in danger, and yet ceaselessly strives for a better future, and it’s inspiring to witness such unrelenting hope and integrity in the form of a teenage girl, especially in the science fiction/dystopian genre, where we see all our worst fears realized. 

2.  In these unstable times, I want to read, from the safety of my own home, about adventures, about problems that in no way resemble my own, that are confronted and overcome, and I want a happy ending, with a decisive victory. This is all found in children’s fantasy novels, my favourite of which have always been The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Children’s fantasy is straightforward in its depiction of right and wrong, a welcome quality, especially compelling in this series, with its focus on family and love, as well as moral conflicts and emotional growth, all without the cliché of the coming-of-age YA genre. Personally, the greatest comfort lies in its inherent nostalgia and familiarity, which swallows you up in a world of witches and fauns, great kings and queens.

3.  Not a book, but possibly the most serene and loving words I’ve read: Mary Oliver’s Evidence: Poems. Poetry can be intimidating and unnecessarily complex, with meanings hidden deeply within rigid structures. But this is a collection of poems that carry so much wonder and beauty in their simplicity, it is pure pleasure to read. Start with ‘To Begin With, the Sweet Grass’, then go back to the beginning and read the rest. There is no better ‘instant remedy’ to frustration at reality than her charming reflections on nature, and delight, and experience.

4.  Finally, when all else fails, I recommend that, like our ancestors before us, you turn to myths. Stephen Fry’s Mythos is a wonderful modern retelling of the ancient Greek myths; conversational and friendly, it’s a warm introduction to the chaotic and spiteful gods, and feels almost as though a grandparent is reciting the tales of their colourful adventures and creations. Myths are stories traditionally told to make sense of the world (something I wish I had the creativity to do now) so it’s immensely reassuring to read something that rings of both truth and fantasy, and reflects our messy reality in the form of lively gods.

• books
• calm
• Comfort