Nice Books
Stories with Kindness at Their Core
In August 2017, a Guardian article lauded "Up lit," a publishing trend that featured books that displayed empathy and optimism. and focused on "everyday heroism, human connection and love – rather than romance." We're hoping our own little collection of Up lit will give you a lift when you need one. And of course, we'd love to hear your suggestions for our virtual bookshelves!
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Plainsong
by Kent Haruf
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I was reminded of Haruf's lovely book Plainsong while watching "Anne with an E," the Netflix adaptation of Anne of Green Gables (which by itself deserves a spot on the plentynice media list). In both stories, lonely people become family to each other, disregarding easy solutions in favor of the potential for love.
"This is a compelling story of grief, bereavement, loneliness and anger, but also of kindness, benevolence, love and the making of a strange new family. In depicting the stalwart courage of decent, troubled people going on with their lives, Haruf's quietly eloquent account illumines the possibilities of grace." - Publisher's Weekly
Submitted by Cindy Brown
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Children and Other Wild Animals
by Brian Doyle
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I love Brian Doyle's lyrical, funny prose (I bet he’ll make you laugh), the contagious joy he got from life, and his sense of curiosity and wonder. (You will never think about sturgeon the same way again. Yes, I said sturgeon.) He won the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award for this book of essays, which “explores the seethe of life on this startling planet, the astonishing variety of our riveting companions, and the joys available to us when we pause, see, savor, and celebrate the small things that are not small in the least.” - Oregon State University Press.
Submitted by Cindy Brown
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The Rosie Project
by Graeme Simpson
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As you may have figured out from my movie reviews, I love a good romantic comedy - a good one: not too sweet, cliche-free, and preferably featuring quirky characters and snappy dialogue. The Rosie Project has all that and it made me laugh out loud. Highly recommended! Submitted by Cindy Brown
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“Read-out-loud laughter begins by page two in Simsion’s debut novel about a thirty-nine-year-old genetics professor with Asperger’s—but utterly unaware of it—looking to solve his Wife Problem. . . . What follows are his utterly clueless but more often thoroughly charming exploits in exploring his capacity for romance.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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“Sometimes you just need a smart love story that will make anyone, man or woman, laugh out loud.” —San Francisco Chronicle
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society
by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
I'd forgotten about this gem of a book about community, books and courage until Celia Warren Fowler recommended it as a nice book in the House of Clues Facebook group. Diane Johanson seconded Celia's recommendation saying, " I LOVE that book!!!! Have you seen "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" movie? It is/was available on Netflix! It conveys such charm under such terrifying conditions."
Submitted by Cindy Brown, Celia Warren Fowler and Diane Johanson
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"A jewel . . . Poignant and keenly observed, Guernsey is a small masterpiece about love, war, and the immeasurable sustenance to be found in good books and good friends.”—People
A Gentleman in Moscow
by Amor Towles
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Why I think it’s nice: Our protagonist, is smart, charming, and he says things like this:
“After all what can a first impression tell us about someone we’ve just met for a minute in the lobby of a hotel? For that matter, what can a first impression tell us about anyone? Why, no more than a chord can tell us about Beethoven, or a brushstroke about Botticelli. By their very nature, human beings are so capricious, so complex, so delightfully contradictory, that they deserve not only our consideration, but our reconsideration—and our unwavering determination to withhold our opinion until we have engaged with them in every possible setting at every possible hour.“ Submitted by Cindy Brown
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"The book is like a salve. I think the world feels disordered right now. The count’s refinement and genteel nature are exactly what we’re longing for.” —Ann Patchett
“How delightful that in an era as crude as ours this finely composed novel stretches out with old-World elegance.” —The Washington Post
“The novel buzzes with the energy of numerous adventures, love affairs, twists of fate and silly antics.” —The Wall Street Journal
A Man Called Ove
by Fredrik Backman
I'm a sucker for curmudgeons with hidden hearts of gold, and Ove is one of the most charming I've ever met (in fiction, that is). Submitted by Cindy Brown
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"A comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents’ association to their very foundations.
Fredrik Backman’s novel about the angry old man next door is a thoughtful exploration of the profound impact one life has on countless others."
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
by Gail Honeyman
This funny, heartbreaking book (yes, it manages to be both at once) showcases the power of friendship and its ability to change lonely lives. Submitted by Cindy Brown
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"No one’s ever told Eleanor that life should be better than fine.
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Meet Eleanor Oliphant: She struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she’s thinking. Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding social interactions, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy.
But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, the three become the kinds of friends who rescue one another from the lives of isolation they have each been living. And it is Raymond’s big heart that will ultimately help Eleanor find the way to repair her own profoundly damaged one."
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The Little Book of Lykke
by Meik Wiking
What do you get when an engaging storyteller also studies happy societies? A little book full of inspiration and hope. Submitted by Cindy Brown
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"Author of the New York Times bestseller The Little Book of Hygge, Meik Wiking travels the globe to discover the secrets of the very happiest people. He identifies the six factors that explain the majority of differences in happiness across the world—togetherness, money, health, freedom, trust, and kindness—and explores what actions we can take to become happier.
Weaving together original research and personal anecdotes, The Little Book of Lykke is a global roadmap for joy that offers a new approach to achieving everyday happiness that not only improve our own lives, but help us build better communities and a better world."
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