For me, reading is meditation—a flow-inducing escape from whatever woes the workday brings me, and a welcome reprieve from any worries that might be flitting around my mind.
More than 90 percent of the time, I find that escape in the form of a many-volume epic sci-fi or fantasy story. Once in a while, though, I need something more subtle and nuanced—a book or a story that speaks to my need for calm and comfort and allows—even encourages—my mind to take a break from my anxieties and find a new perspective.
It takes a special kind of book by a special kind of author to ease my mind in exactly the right way, and today I’m happy to share five of my favorites with you. These books and stories are all at the top of my list whenever I need to take a break, reflect, and focus on what’s important in life…
The Monk & Robot Series by Becky Chambers
The more I read Becky Chambers, the more I’m convinced that no working SFF author is better at capturing the human experience on the page—extra props for doing it through a sentient robot on a distant planet’s small moon.
Monk & Robot contains two novellas: A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy. Both follow a monk, Sibling Dex, as they venture to villages serving tea and hearing people’s stories. Eventually, Dex’s journey brings them to the Wilds, where they meet Mosscap. The plucky robot joins Dex, and together they learn and grow while trying to gain a better understanding of themselves and humanity.
Chambers crafts a low-stakes adventure and slots her themes neatly into the novel’s characters. Monk & Robot eschews deadly space battles and rigid galactic politics. Instead, the series offers a personal and intimate take on what it means to be yourself and grow as a person. I pick up these therapeutic wonders of science fiction whenever I need to feel okay, even when it seems like problems are piling up around me.
“The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin
Various Tor.com contributors have written at length about “Omelas” over the years. Consider this my plea to anyone who hasn’t heard of this short story: read it!
The story takes maybe 30 minutes to read, and it’s worth returning for multiple rereads and reconsiderations. I’m not going to spoil anything here; the story’s too quick and focused for me to spill any details ahead of time. I suggest you go in with no prior knowledge (or, if you’ve encountered the tale in the past, try revisiting it with fresh eyes).
I read “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” whenever I feel the weight of the world’s problems pressing down on me. How far will we go in allowing others to suffer? What would it take for us to abandon comfort and convenience in the pursuit of justice and equality? Le Guin’s slippery narrative forces the reader to face these questions and many others, and sparks reflection unlike any story I’ve read before. Be warned, however: “Omelas” is as heartbreaking as it is thought-provoking. Have a box of tissues handy.
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
With little nuggets of wisdom and inspiration delivered alongside with fluid, deeply touching illustrations, Charlie Mackesy’s book garnered instant acclaim, and has been adapted into an Oscar-winning animated short film.
The book doesn’t nestle into a single genre. Still, fantasy fans will connect with its whimsy and its pithy, resonant quotes. It feels like it could fit comfortably in Milne’s Hundred Acre Wood, a Calvin and Hobbes comic strip, and a quiet corner of Narnia all at once.
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” reads one page, above a drawing of the boy and the mole perched on a tree branch; the response comes beneath it: “‘Kind,’ said the boy.”
Little moments like this one grace every page of the book, which you could read in an hour or less. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is the perfect antidote to a grim or gloomy day. It serves as a warm, wise reminder to have the courage to be kind to yourself and others.
Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
My previous picks can make you smile, cry, think deeply and reflect. This last one’s meant to make you laugh. Hyperbole and a Half features gut-busting stories from Allie Brosh’s childhood and adult life, as well as chronicling her struggles with depression and anxiety. As someone who deals with those issues myself, I found a unique sort of solace in Brosh’s work. Some of her tales are positively ridiculous—one involving an entire birthday cake sticks strongly in my memory—and others are honest, visceral takes on the effects of mental illness.
Even with a heavy subject matter, Brosh handles her stories with a deft hand, walking the line between comedy and serious anxiety without flaw. Her illustrations break the tension and fill in the visual moments of her anecdotes. Every page brims with laugh-out-loud
Allie Brosh’s work fits into the humor and autobiography categories more so than fantasy or sci-fi, but Hyperbole and a Half and the sequel—Solutions and Other Problems—are ideal picks for anyone who wants to feel seen and understood while also enjoying frequent bouts of chuckling.
Everyone’s a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too by Jomny Sun
Jonny (aka Jomny) Sun has written for BoJack Horseman and the current Peacock series Mrs. Davis. He’s also known for his delightful Twitter presence, where he shares funny and uplifting bits of goodness. His book Everyone’s a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too, is as charmingly (and deliberately) misspelled as its title.
Everyone’s a Aliebn follows an adorable extraterrestrial exploring Earth long past the days of humanity. This is about as SFF as the book gets. The alien’s sojourn across our planet is filled with wonderful encounters between the main character and the beings that still inhabit Earth. On one page, the alien rests under a tree. The quote across from the drawing reads:
“I’ve been wondering why the lonely ones make the most beautiful music and I think it’s because they’re the ones most invested in filling the silence.”
Almost every page is poster-worthy, offering an affirmation, a reminder that it’s okay to feel sad. It’s okay to enjoy the good times. It’s okay to feel a multitude of things at once. Even if you feel like you’re an “aliebn,” chances are you aren’t the only one.
I also recommend Jonny Sun’s Goodbye Again: Essays, Reflections, and Illustrations.
I hope these picks help to ease your mind whenever you need a break, a laugh, or a good cry. If you have any favorite mental health-related or mindful reads, please recommend them in the comments!
