“Could you please recommend some happy books?” That was the feedback I received from last month’s column from a reader. This told me two things. 1) People need cheering up and 2) Someone actually reads these columns. So, giving this topic some thought I have come up with the following. Readers of what is commonly labelled “good literature” will know that not much of what is published these days is particularly cheerful as themes of abuse, racism, poverty and mental illness are often given top billing. So, what do you do if you want to read something that is well written, but don’t want to venture into the “brain candy” world of mass paperback romances or westerns? For fiction lovers, I can highly recommend Katherine Center and Sarah Jio, whose books tackle some interesting topics but always end happily. If you like humorous writing, you can’t go wrong with Terry Fallis or Bill Bryson. Dipping into the classics, you can do no better than Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, even if you only read the parts where Elizabeth and Darcy tangle: “I had not known you a month before I felt you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry.” Such wonderful dialogue that has made it word for word in every movie adaptation of the novel. However, sometimes it is better to feed the soul rather than the mind, so I’m suggesting that this may be the time to take out some highly illustrated non-fiction and just soak in the pictures or photos found in books you would not normally be interested in such as gardening, cooking, nature, art or travel books. Just open the cover and gaze at the beautiful images of any of the following:
Wild Colours: Canada’s Rocky Mountain Wildflowers (Paul Gilbert and Kathryn Graham)
Prairie: A Natural History (Candace Savage)
Appetizers: Starters and Buffet Food (Christine Ingram)*
Dessert of the Day: 365 recipes for every day of the year (Kim Laidlaw)**
The World of Robert Bateman (Ramsay Derry)
Make Room for Quilts: Beautiful decorating ideas (Nancy J. Martin)
A book I have particularly enjoyed dipping into lately is My art is the way I sing: The life’s work of Sheila Lee Niles. Sheila was a resident of Millarville until her death in 2017. I also knew her through our shared love of quilting and I have a few small things she made in my home. The book contains photos of many of her works, plus excerpts from her journals and poetry and articles written about her by other local women. For anyone who knew her, the book is a true treasure and for those who never got the chance, delving into the book is a way of getting to know her. Other books that bring me joy can be found in my vast collection of quilt titles. If I’m stuck at home and feeling a bit low, I grab a stack, a cup of coffee, sit in my window chair and flick through them, not really reading them, but soaking in the images. This of course can lead to the starting of many quilt tops, which is PERFECTLY OK! One of my favourites is the one in the list above – how to decorate with all those lovely quilts apart from putting them on beds. All of the books in the list are in our collection and you can find them at tracpac.ab.ca to place holds on them. Choose a book you wouldn’t normally select, and you may form a new love or interest. Remember, it may not be about reading happy books, but rather reading what makes you happy. While we are closed (which we still are at the time of writing), curbside pick up is available Tuesday to Thursday, noon to 4 pm. Place as many holds as you want – we are happy to fill them for you.
*WARNING: this may lead to the making and consuming of contents described within. Weight loss may occur.
** Double warning!!