Comfort Books
You’ve heard of comfort foods – the things we eat when we’re feeling alone or vulnerable that may not be good for us, but they sure make us feel better. Most of us have a comfortable old robe or pajamas that looks simply awful but give us comfort when we’re sick or tired or sad. But what about comfort books?
A good book can fill a place in our hearts when we need a boost. A really good book can do it over and over again when we need it most. Finding that book is a beautiful thing, keeping it on hand for future use is truly wise.
My wife has read Great Expectations at least a dozen times. She’s reading it again as I type. Even though she knows the story details by heart, even though there can be no real surprises in store for her, even though she’s seen the movies (loved the Alec Guinness version, hated the one with Gwyneth Paltrow), she reads it every year or two.
There is something soothing about reading words that have deeply impacted us in the past. With great literature, there’s also the potential to see something that we missed on the first (and maybe even second and third) go ’round. Just as reading a biblical passage multiple times may impart some new spiritual truth, re-reading a personal favorite can inspire as much on the fifth read as on the first.
It doesn’t matter if the book is popular or critically acclaimed. If it is your favorite, it’s a classic in its own right (linguists, please appreciate the proper use of “it’s” and “its” in the same sentence). So, put down the trendy but dull biographical piece, and pick up your old favorite. Savor the written word as it speaks to your own soul. Draw it in as if the book had been written for you and you alone.
This is the very heart of literature. This is the art of reading.
