I started reading a lot 2 decades ago after seeing Good Will Hunting and being in love with the idea of being so damn nonchalantly smart that nobody could touch me. So I tend to look for books that carry big ideas, which I can use to impress people or somehow build a lifestyle upon that says “I’m wiser than you” in a way. Deep work, spiritual awakening, etc. Mostly those books are interesting, but lack soul, and feed my sense that something’s missing and something needs to be fixed or added to be a worthy human being.
Please suggest the opposite, the antidote, something that says it’s fine, you’re average, you’re one of billions, you’re going to die, it’s all good. Fiction preferably. Can be anything from the literary equivalent of a hug, to a straight up kick in the ass. About characters on the sideline, characters that are living slowly and ordinarily. I really liked A Psalm For The Wild-Built based on suggestions from this sub. I’m also a fan of Chuck Palahniuk’s brand of odd characters that are the personification of “ugh”.
Hope this all makes sense. Thank you!
by MidgetAtAFoamParty