This time of year, everything takes more effort than it should. You want to meet up with your friends at the bar? Well, first you have to put on a bunch of layers, go outside in the 32 degree weather and then when you get there, find a place to stash your stuff without someone stealing it. Have a date? Good luck trying to look sexy without freezing. There’s a case to be said for staying in on the weekend with a good book. Here, we round up three picks that will revive your spirit. Related: ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ author Harper Lee dead at 89 “Why They Run The Way They Do” by Susan Perabo “Wreck and Order” by Hannah Tennant-Moore Related: ‘Why We Came To The City’ totally get New York City living “Reasons To Stay Alive” by Matt Haig Follow Emily on Twitter: @EmLaurence
Sometimes when you’re feeling blue, the best cure is seeing how other people deal with obstacles in their own life. “Why They Run The Way They Do” is a collection of 12 short stories of exactly that, from a spinster whose sister gets pregnant to a daughter whose mother seems actually quite relieved to be dying of cancer. It’s a tender reminder that everyone faces hardships — you are not alone.
Everyone is talking about this debut novel about a twenty-something trying to break free from her self-destructive patterns and history of tumultuous relationships. It’s about finding the beauty in your mistakes and discovering what it means to be fulfilled.
“Reasons To Stay Alive” is a memoir about a 24-year-old who was contemplating suicide but somehow pulled himself out of it. Things just got real. His honest — and surprisingly funny — first person account is a reminder that no matter how hopeless life may seem, it really never is.