The Wrong Book for Difficult Times

What type of book do you read in difficult times?

As opposed to books you read in fun times?

I wrote a blog post once about the momentous books I read during momentous times.

I’ve written before about “comfort novels,” books read when I didn’t want to belabor my brain too hard or when I needed a fast escape I could trust.

Interestingly, I cannot recall what I was reading when my parents, grandparents, and in-laws died.

I draw a blank in the library department at every death in my family.

I’m thinking of this now because eight friends have lost family members since June. I’ve spent a lot of time contemplating death, weeping with those who weep, and remembering good times with people no longer walking the earth.

Something about death–the ending of life–puts more minor experiences into perspective and, I think, makes it harder to appreciate “art” that exacerbates the wound rather than tries to heal.

Bad books in bad times

Last night I picked up a current best seller.

I hated the book. I could see how clever it is. While I recognized and admired how the author put the book together, but it was hurting.

After 125 pages, I gave up and read the ending. I didn’t need to spend anymore time with it.

But why?

As a lay counselor. I’ve heard and continue to hear, many tragic stories.

I volunteer with an organization that helps people in crisis. I want to save, not destroy.

The books I write have difficult things in them, but they’re full of hope by the end. I can’t live my life any other way.

My wrong novel was a mystery, a clever one, but its hero and heroine were vicious, nasty people who drink too much, swear too much, and waste their lives.

It was painful to read, particularly during a time when so many people I cared for were suffering from the loss of a much-loved spouse.

The Counselor-Me kept shoving aside the Reader-Me.

I couldn’t get past, “can this marriage be saved?” to pay attention to what was happening to the plot.

After awhile, I realized if they didn’t want to change and have a happier life, there was no point in me continuing. So I read the ending and shut the book.

Needing Hope in Difficult Times

Maybe I’m just a novice reader, preferring at least some ray of hope by the end of the story.

If not, what is the point of reading it?

I’ve got enough real life drama going on around about me. I don’t need to spend my time with fiction characters who prefer to wallow in pain rather than change their lives.

That sounds a little snippy from someone writing a novel full of tragedy.

But in my novel people deal with a war thrust upon them, trying to find ways to survive with a modicum of happiness.

They’re not using their grim circumstances to take pot shots at the people they allegedly love.

I’m interested in how people deal with difficult times–how they find the strength of character to get through events beyond their control and come out with some degree of peace.

Perhaps I feel that way because that’s the way I live my own life.

What about you? What types of books do you like to read when life is very hard?

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