I thought I would be able to get through the whole thing without crying, but I got to the last page and lost it.

Reading Mary Oliver is a religious experience! I get something new every time I read her poetry.

The Kite Runner - it’s the first book I had a visceral reaction to. I was in such anguish, I had to physically walk away.

The Book Thief made me cry. And most recently, so did Blue Nights by Joan Didion. It’s a memoir about her losing a child, which unfortunately I can relate to.

I think what makes me feel connected to literature is the ability for authors to put into words what I can’t, thus validating my experiences and giving the book a deeper, personal meaning. As C.S. Lewis said, “We read to know we are not alone.”

Maybe an unpopular opinion:

I think a lot of romance is pandering to the stereotype of a “feminist”. The women are so independent that they don’t want to lean on their romantic interest. In the real world, that’s completely unrealistic. You can be a career woman, a mother, both… but if you don’t rely on your partner to help you through challenges big and small, is it really going to work in the long run? Women can maintain their independence AND be vulnerable with the person who is supposed to love them. It doesn’t have to be either/or.

Oddly, Station Eleven. It was very surreal. The book focuses more on the characters than the pandemic that drives the plot, but I think that’s why I felt comfort.