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Comfort Reads: What to Read in Troubling Times

4- Leila Aboulela, The Kindness of Enemies (2015)

The Kindness of Enemies by Leila Aboulela

If you’re following my page, you already know that I’m a fan of Leila Aboulela’s writing. The Kindness of Enemies is one of my favorites that rewrites history from the perspective of marginalized characters who are pushed to the fringes of society.

The novel presents two parallel narratives alternating between modern-day Scotland and the nineteenth-century Caucasus during the Crimean War. Aboulela retells the story of Imam Shamil, the imam of Dagestan and the leader of the tribes of the Northern Caucasus, who became a legend in North America and Europe during his historic battle against Russia in 1839.

 The nineteenth-century narrative also charts the stories of Shamil’s eldest son, Jamaleldin who was captured by the Russian Czar and of Anna Chavchavadze, the Princess of Georgia who was, in return, held hostage by Imam Shamil to get his son back.

Through these different stories of yearning and belonging, Aboulela unravels the mysteries of Sufism and ends the novel on a hopeful note.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from this hefty, underrated novel:

“Perhaps we half and halfs should always make a choice, one nationality instead of the other, one language instead of the other. We should nourish one identity and starve the other so that it would atrophy and drop off. Then we could relax and become like everyone else, we could snuggle up to the majority and fit in.”

“I might still not have reached home or settled where I belonged, but I was confident that there was a home, there ahead of me. My homesickness wasn’t cured but it was, I was sure, propelling me in the right direction.”

“Sufism delves into the hidden truth behind the disguise. Malak, the teacher disguised as an actor. Natasha the student, acting the part of a teacher. I had come to her today needing to connect, wanting to spend time in her company. Perhaps it was time to acknowledge that what I was after was spiritual. She was ready to be a guide and I would fight my weaknesses in order to follow.”

5- Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones Book Series (1999), (2001) & (2013)

First and foremost, let’s begin with some facts.

Fact #1: Bridge Jones has helped me, and I know, several others, through so many crises;

Fact #2: Helen Fielding is a chick lit super-star.

Bridget Jones Series will give you the escape that you need. Anytime.

The wit. The humor. The satire. The complexity of womanhood. All the references to classic British literature. Yes, please.

I’m jumping right into some of my favorite lines:

“Oh, darling, you can’t go around with that tatty green canvas thing. You look like some sort of Mary Poppins person who’s fallen on hard times.” 

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that when one part of your life starts going okay, another falls spectacularly to pieces.” 

“It struck me as pretty ridiculous to be called Mr. Darcy and to stand on your own looking snooty at a party. It’s like being called Heathcliff and insisting on spending the entire evening in the garden, shouting “Cathy” and banging your head against a tree.” 

6- Rachael Kable, The Mindful Kind (2020)

The Mindful Kind by Rachael Kable

I was first introduced to psychologist and mindfulness coach Rachael Kable through her The Mindful Kind podcast a few years ago.

I had just begun my foray into the world of mindfulness. In addition to the several books I was reading at the time, Kable’s brief episodes helped me start my mornings on a positive note.

Listening to her episodes on a wide range of topics from “Cultivating Patience” to “Appreciating Little Things in Life” has been like having a conversation with a close friend who has invaluable advice on how to improve the quality of your life. So, I was absolutely elated when her debut, which bears the same title as her podcast series, came out this year.

The Mindful Kind is a wonderful start for anyone who is interested in the concept of mindfulness, as well as in practices that can be easily integrated into daily life.

If you grapple with anxiety and fear, or feel overwhelmed, especially during these troubling times, The Mindful Kind will give you tools that can help you feel calmer and more grounded. Here are some of my favorite lines from the book:

The whole-hearted approach to mindfulness is a journey towards more compassion, openness, presence and understanding within the context of a sometimes messy human life.”

“Mindfulness can be an attitude, a way of living life by connecting with the now and being open and curious about what there is to experience.”

The following quote is perhaps the most revelant right now:

“No matter what happens, please be kind. Not just towards others, but towards yourself.”

We all need to be kind-er to ourselves at the moment.

In this spirit, snuggling up with a good book is an act of kindness; so is taking care of yourself.

So, brew some coffee or tea, and enjoy what you can control right now (Easier said than done, but we can do this).

-Happy reading!

-Neri

Any recommendations and suggestions? Comment below! I’m always looking for comfort reads.

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38 thoughts on “Comfort Reads: What to Read in Troubling Times”

  1. Loorie Moore is the queen of short stories! I absolutely love her. Several of the other books I hadn’t heard of before though, so thanks for these thoughtful recommendations. And thanks for following my blog! – Carly

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    1. Yes, she is! Her novels are even better in that they take longer to finish 🙂 Thanks for your comment, Carly! Look forward to reading more of your posts- Neri

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      1. Hi, I’m glad you got to order the book–it is quite good. Also, thanks for following me! -Neri

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  4. Thanks for the reading recommendations. Very handy in this time when we have a bit more dedication to reading. : ) Say, I really liked your Istanbul post. Would you mind opening up the comments? I find that WordPress has us close the comments quickly, but I’ve changed my setting to allow comments to continue. Your choice : ) Rebecca

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    1. Hi, Rebecca! Thanks for your lovely words, and also for letting me know about the comments. I had no idea that they were closed?! Will open them up. 🙂 -Neri

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  5. My initial reaction to cope with the stresses of COVID-19, was to watch the films which represented Nicholas Cage’s more questionable career choices. However, as cathartic as it is to watch Nic relax by eating jelly beans from a martini glass whilst watching monkeys practice kung-fu (bonus points for guessing which film this scene appears in) or dress up as a giant grizzly bear to interrupt a ritual child burning (double bonus points for this) I have been using literature as a way for me to gain perspective on my situation by reading books which focus on displaced people, whether it be Moorish slaves in 16th century America or illegal immigrants in 20th century Britain. As counter-intuitive as it may seem to read tragic books, I feel it has allowed me to appreciate all of the privileges I enjoy and to focus on what is truly important and makes me happy (apparently COVID lockdowns are the perfect excuse for me to become a social recluse and lock myself in a room with books and terrible movies) and appreciate that the temporary inconveniences I am facing are nothing in comparison to what so many people are facing around the world.

    That being said, apart from Nicholas Cage movies and depressing fiction, my recommendations would be:

    Chekhov’s Short Stories: The most perfect description I have for Chekhov is one form Nabokov of them being “Sad books for humorous people”
    Cold Comfort Farm: Riotously funny and irreverent.
    In Search of Lost Time: If the lockdown extends to beyond six months, you may just finish this before it ends.

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    1. Thanks for the recommendations. See, my dissertation was on diaspora and displacement, and I’m welcoming a much needed break from sad, tragic books. This for me means lots of rom-coms and goofy films and maybe one or two Nic Cage movies, haha.

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      1. You should try combining both rom-coms and Nicholas Cage by watching ‘Moonstruck’. It manages to combine the wonderfully hammy acting of both Nicholas Cage AND Cher with bread machine induced dismemberment and random Mrs Havershamesque airplane based curses.

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    1. Hi, same here! Thanks for your lovely comment. Books are the best 🙂 I look forward to reading more of your poetry! -Neri

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  8. Hi Neri: Thank you for visiting Atkins Bookshelf and for following. Bookshelf is written for people like you who are lifelong learners, seek the comfort and wisdom of literature, and naturally love books. If there is a silverlining to the pandemic it is that people discover, or rediscover literature, that has been weaving some of the same threads in the tapestry of life for centuries: that as humans we are all connected, and that we are interdependent. Alas, our survival today depends on it. Having built a personal library of more than 8,000 books over the decades has created a wellspring of inspiration for my life as well as for my blog. This purpose is even more critical during the shelter-in-place era, where are voices need to be shared to help one another survive. In the words of William Faulkner: “It is [the writer’s] privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past. The poet’s voice need not merely be the record of man, it can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail.” I hope you have a chance to explore the more than 1,600 posts about literature and the fascinating English language during the quarantine. As a student of literature, I am sure you will really enjoy most of them. Cheers. Alex

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  14. Thank you for sharing these reads and for following my blog. I love it when people share their favourite books for comfort, mood changers, literary nourishment.
    I’m getting so much from my slow reading of Alberto Villoldo’s Courageous Dreaming right now, a chapter a day, I may have to return to the beginning and read it again.

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    1. Thanks, Claire. It’s interesting how my literary “cravings” shift depending on the context. You know, Courageous Dreaming has been on my list for a long time, maybe this is a good time to finally read it. What do you think of it? -Neri

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      1. I’ve had it on my shelf a long time too, and now I can’t believe I waited so long, but maybe that’s because it’s totally the right thing for now. Have to read his book Wisdom of the Earthkeepers? That was great too. Courageous Dreaming I only have one chapter left and feeling a little bereft at that. I’ve written pencil notes all through it. Do pick it up, perfect for now.

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  15. Such a lovely quote by E. B. White, who has been a favorite author of mine since I was 8. You have mentioned a lovely collection, particularly A Moveable Feast. I also find great refuge in the Bible. Thank you for visiting me today!

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