Photo by Nina Westerfield, New York Times

Books that Comfort

ENG 351: For our first online session of “The Technology of the Book”  during lockdown, we read two recent pieces in The New York Times, “Books that Bring Authors Comfort” and “At the Library, Last Call for Beauty and Books,” then responded with a quick spurt of writing. We focused on texts that comfort and spaces that provide a strong sense of place for reading in our lives.

Barrett:

          Citizen Illegal, by Jose Olivarez, is a book of poems that is able to captivate the Chicano experience with his righteous storyboard, defining what’s indefinite about us. With humor and street smarts, he is able to introduce ironies against each other until something true about us emerges, showing how sad society is when it imposes certain feelings based solely on an individual's appearance. The book introduces poems that deal with the Mexican experience that come along with being raised in America. Reading this collection of poems was entertaining because of the author's honesty, and for his bravery in speaking up about the cultural tension that characterizes so many life experiences. He paints vivid portraits of good kids, bad kids, families clinging to hope, life after the steel mills, gentrifying barrios, and everything in between, which is something that is occurring in today's society. 

     I first read this book in my freshman year of college, and since then I have always referred back to it as a guide. It is very relatable, as the words on the pages express the diversity that exists in society, and our role will always be to try to be the ‘typical’ American.  These poems made me simultaneously miss home and further understand my identity as a Latino man being raised in the United States. Reading these poems, I was able to create a mental image of those awkward and memorable moments, that at first I thought I had only experienced. I resonated strongly with the works, and my favorite poems touched a deep nerve about what assimilation looks like in our culture.

Lauren:

When I was younger, I read the Shatter Me collection by Tahereh Mafi over and over again. It was a trilogy about a young girl overcoming all odds, escaping from the binds that held her for so many years, and ultimately using her strengths and courage to become a powerful leader, all while finding love, self acceptance, confidence, and abilities she never even knew she was capable of. It is filled with life lessons about believing in oneself despite what everyone around you is saying, the protagonist being a teenage girl with an inhumane ability. Mafi truly knows how to capture the reader from the first page and keep their attention. The qualities I saw in this young, trapped girl, and the lessons taught through her journey really resonated with me, especially because she was about my age. I would always go back to these books, and every time I would get chills on my arms and a slight smile on my face. Something that definitely upped the interesting factor: Did I mention if any person ever made contact with her skin, they felt immense pain? This caused her to be isolated for most of her life, but what she couldn't learn until someone gave her a chance to be viewed as more than a monster was that she had the power to control it. 

Jennifer:           

For some reason when prompted to think of a comfort book, I thought of The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. I know it is actually quite tragic (it is, in fact, about the love story of two teens with cancer in which one ultimately succumbs to the disease), but I am the type of person who takes comfort in knowing that I am not the only one who has had painful experiences, such as grief. It also is a great example of how in moments of great darkness, there can be light. Hazel and Augustus have a sweet, fleeting romance (albeit, a bit corny at times in retrospect), that allows for levity in the face of illness. I think that in a time like now, where everything feels very hopeless and trapping, the best thing we can do is try to appreciate the positive things in our lives. 

This book is also very nostalgic for me, as I read it in middle school at the same time as some friends and we would obsessively talk about it together. Sometimes, the memories attached to a book can be more powerful than the content itself. It reminds you of who you were and what you were experiencing at the time you read it, and more so, how much you have grown since then. I remember shedding real tears like I never had before when reading a book when I finally got to the end, but not just because someone had died, rather, because it was beautiful how they found each other and managed to make such a great impact on each other’s lives in the short time they were together. That sentiment was really moving to me, and reminds me today about how important it is to spread love in hard times.

Sebastien:

My comfort book is actually a comfort series, the series being Percy Jackson & the Olympians. It is the first book series that I truly got into and wanted to read multiple times (around six times at the moment), whereas before, I only felt the need read books once or was obligated to do so for school. The series was also introduced to me by someone who later became one of my best friends, and was one of the first connections we were able to build upon. Funnily enough, I had started with the fourth book in the series but that didn’t deter me at all from completing the rest of them; I was able to jump into the world with no problem. This series is still able to coax feelings within me, such as excitement, anxiety, and joy every time I read them. They even brought about a love and curiosity for Greek mythology that I still feed to this day. The very fact that these novels through their action, characters and modernization of old myths got me to read the old myths (which includes non-modern English) is astounding.

 I am a person who enjoys reading and has soft spots for many series (which has led to the development of a personal library but that’s another story…), but this is the first series that was able to bring forth that part of me: someone who couldn’t put a book down, someone who impatiently waited for the next book release, someone who just had to buy the book even though it was available online, and someone who just had to read it over again. I like this part of myself because books provide an escape into other worlds and I have no problem entering and getting lost in them. Thus, I will forever be grateful to Percy Jackson & the Olympians.

Ricardo:

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keys

I remember I was in 7th grade when I first read this book. I wasn't always the biggest fan of reading, especially on my own, but this book really changed it for me. The book was constructed in such a creative way, it completely blew my 12 year old mind. This wonderful fiction novel is made up of journal entries written by Charlie Gordon, a mentally handicapped 32 year old man, with an IQ of 68. He is selected to partake in a science experiment that makes him intelligent. Now this is where the book really stood out for me, rather than the traditional story telling method of just telling you how this unfolds, the journal entry format of this book allows you to see it unfold before your very eyes simply through the writing and language evolution of the journal entries. It truly is a great read, with a lot of interesting elements and topics to ponder about. You find yourself rooting Charlie, being excited for his journey and progress towards intelligence, all while experiencing the downfalls that come with this pursuit. I remember this was the first book I specifically went out to purchase for myself, and I have read it countless times, discovering new elements of the story and of myself each time.

Moesha:

Growing up, reading was my safeguard. It made me feel safe especially because of all the war and bad that was going on around me. I grew up in an environment where guns were present like the clothes on our back. While other kids were watching tv to block out the chaos, I was reading. My mom bought me thousands of books that comforted me throughout this time until I moved out of this environment. Honestly, I think because I read so much growing up, I am no longer interested in reading. However, when I was a book nerd reading anything I could get my hands on I fell in love with the book called Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. This book was my comfort book because it made me have faith in people and to hope that one day I can be as happy and motivated as the teenage authors in the book that told their stories. They were brave and that made me a strong believer, that I can conquer anything.

Ysberth:

    Life can be very demanding, so it's important to find a way to protect your inner peace. Out of all the books I've read, I consider The Voice of Knowledge by Don Miguel Ruiz to be my favorite tool to build and preserve tranquility. Using ancient Toltec wisdom passed down to him, Don gracefully enlightens readers on the simple yet profound truths of life. The major takeaway of the guide is that in order to end our emotional suffering, we have to stop believing in lies about ourselves. He empathizes with the reader by explaining why it is not our fault we act and think the way we do, but he also shows us tough love, which is equally important to lifting the veil. This guide has helped me find understanding of the way I perceive others, life's challenges, and most importantly myself.

     In the words of Don Miguel Ruiz, "We are born in truth, but we grow up believing in lies...One of the biggest lies in the story of humanity is the lie of our imperfection." This book was one I couldn't keep my mind off of. Even after finishing it I found myself pondering his points, and realized the amount of weight and wisdom it carried. Don opened up a new reality, one where I am able to cultivate not only peace, but also truth and joy.

Natalia:

I would suggest Toni Morrison’s first novel, The Bluest Eye, published in 1970. This novel explores many issues faced by young black girls in society. The book shows the reality people of color often face in order to fit in and be accepted. The main character, Pecola, felt the need to have blue eyes to be considered “beautiful” and to overcome the oppression that came from having dark skin.  

Brianna:

I am not certain that I could attribute my comfort book to simply one book or series. I have enjoyed many young adult series with mythological elements because they allowed me to dream and think beyond my imagination. Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and The Infernal Devices were just some of the series in which I would read a book quickly and then anticipate reading the next. I enjoy living vicariously through characters because it enables me to experience things that are not possible in reality. I love the idea of being able to place myself in any time period with no restrictions on my abilities. There is something very sobering about the human experience as it is and I partially think that as a child I desired more than was at my disposal, both in the relationships built between characters and their otherworldly abilities. 

When envisioning a comfort location, I found myself in this nook behind the couch in my parents’ place. The couch was at an angle in the corner of the room, creating a triangular space, and there was a triangular coffee table filling that space. I loved it because it was completely isolating yet still connected to the world. After all, it was in my living room. I was still able to hang on just barely to reality, but I was still transported elsewhere mentally. I have many fond memories of finishing books at 3 am and finally looking around and realizing where I had been for the past 8 hours. It became my go-to spot for any anxiety and I would keep snacks, pillows, and blankets there as if it were my own little home.

Spaces

Francis:

The article our group discussed was “At the Library,” which discussed how spaces like the NYPL are temporarily closing due to the rampant spread of COVID-19. These closings, according to the piece, are affecting lives of individuals who have made it their habit to read within these spaces, forcing them to find other spaces where they could read or do research.

After my group mates read the article, each of us thought of our own preferred places when we are reading. Tess thought of the cabin by the lake that their family owned; Moesha and Otasha both talked about how they preferred reading in the train while commuting; and I told the group about how I enjoy reading in my bedroom.  

Unsurprisingly, we have different reasons why we enjoy these spaces. Listening to my peers, I have come to understand that for us, these spaces are fragments of heaven where we get to escape, think, and dream along with authors that we greatly admire and enjoy.

Sadele:

When reading "At The Library, A Place for Beauty and Books,” the vivid description of the space definitely made me want to visit. I understand the concern of closing this serene room because some people find extreme comfort in reading. It touched me because reading in a comfortable environment or stress-free environment actually curbs my anxiety. For me, I find myself reading a lot on New York City public transportation because of my long commutes to work and school. 

Subway trains can be a bit crowded and filled with multiple personalities. The stressful ambiance often triggers my anxiety and reading has always been my outlet in this case. From news articles to scholarly PDFs to short stories, reading on public transportation has never failed me. This space has also made my commute feel much faster. I often get lost in reading and almost miss my stop. It is a great distraction.

Otasha:

Can you picture it? Sitting on a hard, eventually warm surface, surrounded by possibly hundreds of strangers with announcements chipping in every now and then? Ears covered by noice-cancelling headphones that fail to carry out their job effectively due to the loud environment, strangers speaking on their phones, the sound of the train clashing with the tracks. You are sandwiched by people sitting beside you and those standing near you. Yet, there is a sense of peace which you are able to steal to get carried away into another world by the book being held in your hands. As you allow yourself to be whisked away, you peak up every now and then to see if you have missed your stop. This is my experience of reading on the train.

Tess:

There’s a certain nook of the world I think of as the space where I am willing to read books that will challenge me and throw my sense of balance off-kilter. I can be a neurotic person, and books are paths into unknown lands. It still surprises me that after a childhood of ravenous reading I wound up so cautious, but chronic anxiety will take away your sense of adventure, because you come to rely on the routine for comfort. So there’s one particular spot that comes to mind when I think about reading strange books. It starts with a couch underneath a wooden bunk bed. The room has an arrangement of ancient rusted tools on the rightmost wall, and a screen window across the front and left side. Out of the side is a plank deck attached to a white-sided, green-roofed hut that functions as the dining room and kitchen. Behind that deck is a pine forest. Directly ahead of where I’d sit to read is a view of the dock and the lake. This is camp; up in Maine the word can mean a privately owned summer home as well as a place to send your kids for a few weeks so they can learn survival skills and the latest batch of dirty words from their peers. 

On a bright August afternoon, reading in the room we call the sleeping porch is a holy affair. The camp is spread out enough that the sounds of other people’s activity won’t scratch at my ears. This is also the room where, as the name suggests, I slept in as a child, especially when we had to fill the place up with guests. I have a good history with this room. Unlike the bedrooms and living rooms of my life, this was rarely a place to deal with arguments, panic attacks, and stressful assignments. It happens to be the place where I do most of my summer reading, and I do imagine it is because so little is on my shoulders when I sit there. Finally, I am able to pick up bizarre science fiction and horror and mystery and any sort of fiction that would immerse me so much it would change the character of my inner voice for a bit. I think perhaps it is because this place is so familiar and so nostalgic that I am not worried about losing myself in a book. My thoughts can travel far away because the smell of pine, the lapping waves, everything in my environment feels like another layer of Me, encasing my softness like a turtle’s shell.