Looking for an escape from reality or an uplifting read to soothe your weary soul? Here are five light-hearted books to read when you’re craving something gentle.
1. DailyOM: Learning to Live by Madisyn Taylor
I picked up DailyOM: Learning to Live before my family’s annual summer vacation, as I knew I’d have plenty of downtime to read on the beach. What I didn’t realize was just how life-changing this book would be. In her comforting, spiritual self-help book, Madisyn Taylor shares simple yet powerful insights and guidance to help readers lead more fulfilling lives.
Synopsis: “In this book, based on the popular Website DailyOM, co-founder Madisyn Taylor seamlessly weaves together her award-winning inspirational thoughts with her achingly honest personal story, revealing the inspiration behind many of the DailyOM messages that touch millions of people every day. Learning to Liveis the next best thing to a personal instruction manual: a guiding light to reassure us that we’re on the right path, and to help fix us when we feel broken.”
2. The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking
I remember first hearing the term “hygge” in college, and immediately, I was sold. Anything that loosely translates to “coziness” is for me. So, when I stumbled upon The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking, I devoured it within just a few days—and could not stop talking about it to anyone who would listen. I even wrote an article about how to channel hygge in the workplace when working at my first journalism job.
The Little Book of Hygge shares simple ways (and even nourishing recipes) to incorporate more comfort and coziness into your daily life.
Synopsis: “Hygge has been described as everything from ‘cosines of the soul’ to ‘the pursuit of everyday pleasures.’ The Little Book of Hygge is the book we all need right now, and is guaranteed to bring warmth and comfort to you and your loved ones this winter.
“Hooga? Hhyooguh? Heurgh? It is not really important how you choose to pronounce ‘hygge’. What is important is that you feel it. Whether you’re cuddled up on a sofa with a loved one, or sharing comfort food with your closest friends, hygge is about creating an atmosphere where you can let your guard down.”
3. The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Miguel Ruiz
If you want a gentle yet spiritual/philosophical self-help book, The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom is the perfect pick. Author Miguel Ruiz shares four quietly powerful “agreements” to live by, so you can free yourself from the core sources of human suffering.
Synopsis: “In The Four Agreements, don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and create needless suffering. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, the Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love. The Four Agreements are: Be Impeccable With Your Word, Don’t Take Anything Personally, Don’t Make Assumptions, Always Do Your Best.”
4. We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida
Okay, now that we’ve moved on to fiction…Let’s start with We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida. This novel follows a magical, heartwarming concept (if you’re a cat person, that is): treating spiritual ailments with cats as medicine. Yes, you read that right.
As a cat person myself, I fully believe in the wholesome energy of a feline friend and the power of the human-animal bond. This touching tale is like food for the soul.
Synopsis: “Tucked away on the fifth floor of an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can be found only by people who are struggling in their lives and who genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they ‘take’ their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, and occasionally challenging yet endearing cats.
“Throughout these pages, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed as a disheartened businessman finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a middle-aged man struggles to stay relevant at work and home, a young girl navigates the complexities of elementary school cliques, a hardened handbag designer seeks emotional balance, and a geisha learns to move on from the memory of her lost cat. As the clinic’s patients grapple with their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope.”
5. Beach Read by Emily Henry
Don’t worry: I didn’t forget the romance novel lovers. Beach Read by Emily Henry is both a lighthearted and beautiful love story—the perfect gentle read to lose yourself in, especially if you’re looking for a distraction from life’s woes. I read (and finished) this romance novel during a weekend trip to the beach, which was entirely fitting.
Synopsis: “Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.
“They’re polar opposites.
“In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they’re living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer’s block.
“Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another, and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book, and no one will fall in love. Really.”
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