A while back, I said I planned to write more thoughtful posts and fewer sewing and book posts. That commitment might have happened on a Superwoman day, or sometime before the pandemic. It seems like it was too hard to manage, because despite my commitment, the blog hasn’t changed.

Now, I sit here with a collection of five books that from outward appearance have nearly nothing to do with one another, and I’m trying to figure out how to knit them together into one cohesive post.

By the time you read this, it will be February. Things might be better than they are now, or they might still be about the same.

Maybe you want to consume something other than news, to stretch yourself, or just escape into a good story, learn something new, or melt into a puddle… one of these books might just do it for you. I hope so.

1. The Invisible Bear, by Cècile Metzger

Metzger’s book falls in the category of beautiful picture books that also work for adults. It’s a reminder that the things that enact positive change in our lives are not always cataclysmic events. Often change comes from a gradual realization after having contact with someone who is different from us.

2. The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield

Setterfield’s books are immersive, made for people who love storytelling. A story is woven and unraveled and woven again until at the end, it makes sense. The book’s dark tale and stories within stories reminded me of The Hazel Wood. The story is violent at times, dark, and sad, but it is wonderfully written with closure and healing in it.

3. The Current, by Tim Johnston

I’m a mystery novel convert. Set near a river in the Midwest, The Current hops from perspective to perspective to gradually unwrap the details that will solve the crime. Due to crime, there are some difficult bits, but they aren’t gratuitous. The victims in this story are as fleshed out as the other characters. I liked this book. I liked getting to know the characters, learning what they knew, and learning with them.

4. Frederick Douglas: Voice for Justice, Voice for Freedom, by Frank Murphy, ill. by Nicole Tadgell

Are you still doing the work, on your own, and with your family? This book is written on an early elementary school level. It’s got beautiful watercolor illustrations, and if you (or your kids) don’t know much about who Frederick Douglas was, when you’re finished, you’ll have a good introduction to his life story and the contributions he made to the world.

5. Immortal Diamond: The Search For Our True Self, by Richard Rohr.

I was talking to a friend recently about reading another Richard Rohr book and we agreed that all of his books kind of say the same thing in a slightly different way. That’s exactly why I keep reading his work. He says profound things that resonate deeply and help soothe my struggling soul. I read this book over many months. It only takes a few pages to bite off a chunk of content that you can mull over all day.

This book is for seekers. It peels the rags from your trembling form, and leads you to a warm bath of thought where you will not always be completely comfortable, but will always know you are safe.

“Next time a resentment, negativity, or irritation comes into your mind, for example, and you want to play it out or attach to it, move that thought or person literally into your heart space because such commentaries are almost entirely lodged in your head. There, surround it with silence (which is much easier to do in the heart). There, it is surrounded with blood, which will often feel warm like coals. In this place, it is almost impossible to comment, judge, create story lines, or remain antagonistic. You are in a place that does not create or feed on contraries but is the natural organ of life, embodiment, and love. It has kept me from wanting to hurt people who have hurt me. It keeps me every day from obsessive, repetitive, compulsive head games. It can make the difference between being happy and being miserable and negative.” – Richard Rohr