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Feel-good books for year-end holiday season
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As the end of year is near, why not make a cup of tea and escape into the pages of a good book? (Shutterstock/File)
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t’s the holiday season, but if 2016 has been so tiring that a vacation is out of the question, why not make a cup of tea and escape into the pages of a good book instead?
Here are some great reads that can cheer you up without draining your energy.
Author: William Goldman
"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." The 1987 cult-classic The Princess Bride is the source of this popular meme, but the original book from which the movie was adapted is something else entirely. With unique storytelling, the book has all the elements of fun, starting from a princess, farm boy, pirate, revenge, magic, giant, swordfight to unusually sized rodents.
Author: Jonathan Safran Foer
The writer, Jonathan Safran Foer, published a new book this year called Here I Am. But with its mixed reviews, we feel that Everything Is Illuminated will be more suitable for the holiday mood. His writing style can be difficult to get used to at first, but once you’ve grown accustomed to it the book is straight-up hilarious. Telling both a family and friendship story, the book is a heart-warming tale indeed.
(Read also: 12 Indonesian books you should add to your reading list)
Author: Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
This year Indonesians have witnessed how powerful beliefs can be. Good Omens was written by two renowned fantasy authors, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, best known for the Discworld series and American Gods, respectively. Do not underestimate the genre, as the book throws witty criticism about the state of our reality, good and evil and the essence of humanity.
Author: Debbie Cenziper and Jim Obergefell
If fiction is not your cup of tea, try this one instead. Love Wins tells the story behind the landmark US Supreme Court ruling in 2015 that made same-sex marriage legal. Starting from the story of gay couple Jim Obergefell and John Arthur, the book presents a powerful narrative that leaves a deep mark. Warning: some happy-tears might be shed.
Cairo: Memoir of a City Transformed
Author: Ahdaf Soueif
Revolution is not pretty, and this year we have seen enough deaths from the civil wars that revolutions gave birth to. Cairo: Memoir of a City Transformed is not another devastating story, but strange as it may sound, a rather uplifting one. Recounting the early days of the Egyptian revolution, Cairo gives us hope about the struggle and resilience of its people. (kes)
