Any suggestions for a 30-something year old man who has become almost paralyzed/depressed/numb to life and has so much uncertainty about his purpose or meaning or how to make sense of it all? I’d love to find a novel that can help move me or inspire me out of this rut… something with a deep message about life that awakens something in you. Nothing religious please.
Asking for a friend…
by FloridaMan_90
6 Comments
“A Psalm for the Wild-Built” by Becky Chambers would be my first recommendation. I definitely wouldn’t consider it religious, despite the main character having the title “monk” and it sounds like what you’re looking for. It’s quite short, but rich and beautifully written.
**The Neverending Story** by Michael Ende
(Forget about the movie, if you’ve seen it. And no, it’s not a kids book, though it’s fine for all ages.)
*Warm Bodies* by Isaac Marion. I was literally talking about this book with my therapist today. It’s a zombie retelling of Romeo and Juliette. And while it sounds silly, there are a lot of themes about hope in the face of hopelessness, surviving vs. living, fear of change, and our connections to each other.
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
Walden by Thoreau
damn that’s not what I thought you meant when I read the title…
BUT to answer your question, maybe consider Under the Whispering Door? It’s probably not really what you’re looking for, but let me explain. It’s about a man around the same age as your friend, coming to terms with his death and the terrible life he lived and wondering how to move on if he can never be a better person. It’s really about the main character learning that he is capable of being happy, that he deserves that happiness, and that even after his life is over, he can change into a better person.
I don’t think this book will change your life. But it could help you feel a little better 🙂