Life-affirming books are literary works that not only cheer you up, but also help you get rid of long spleen, give a smile for a long time and return the desire to live, breathe deeply and enjoy every day. Which of them should be addressed first of all - classical or modern, childishly naive or philosophical? The list of the best books presented below will help determine the choice of the most life-affirming book itself.
"Dandelion Wine"
Opens a list of life-affirming books that everyone should read, "Dandelion Wine" - a work by the famous writer Ray Bradbury, written in 1957 and standing out among his books with a deep personal background and some autobiography. The plot tells about the summer adventures of two American boys: 12-year-old Douglas and 10-year-old Tom, the author himself became the prototype of the eldest. The action takes place at the end of the 20s of the last century in the fictional town of Illinois. The title for the work was a special dandelion wine, which every summer was prepared by the grandfather of the main characters.
Wine made from dandelions. These very words are like summer in the language. Dandelion wine - summer caught and corked in a bottle.
About Ray Bradbury's book Dandelion Wine, the reviews are mostly positive. Many people write that she helped them deal with herself, get out of depression and will forever remain the most beloved and close to her heart.
"A Seagull named Jonathan Livingston"
One of the most life-affirming books for teenagers for many years has been recognized by the work of the American writer Richard Bach "The Seagull named Jonathan Livingston." It was written in 1970, revealing a peculiar story-parable about a seagull with an unusual name Jonathan Livingston.
The main character is not an ordinary bird, he is a romantic and sees in his flight a beauty and breathtaking adventure, and not a routine way to move around and get food. While practicing various methods of unusual and complex flights, Jonathan Livingston causes misunderstanding on the part of the rest of the bird flock, but then falls into the “other world” - seagulls who devoted their lives to flying. Having achieved mastery and returned to Earth, Jonathan Livingston begins to teach the mastery of other rogue gulls, which he himself once was.
Pollyanna
The most famous book by American writer Elinor Porter, "Polianna," was written in 1913 and for more than a hundred years remains a bestseller of children's literature. However, the philosophy of this work is so life-affirming that sometimes adults read the adventures of Pollyanna with more enthusiasm than children.
The plot tells the story of an eleven-year-old girl who became an orphan and was forced to move to her aunt - a very strict and grouchy woman. However, life with Pollyanna, who knows how to “play in joy,” finding positive in everything that happens, gradually changes not only the life and character of her aunt, but also the whole city, as well as her readers.
"Three in a boat, not counting a dog"
Another timeless classic of life-affirming literature is the humorous story by the English writer Jerome K. Jerome “Three in a boat, not counting a dog,” the most famous Russian-language reader thanks to the 1979 Soviet film adaptation. The book, which was not even conceived as humorous, is today one of the funniest in world literature and skillfully raises the mood for even the most "difficult" readers. Here is what the author himself said about his idea:
I was not even going to write a funny book at first. She was supposed to focus on the Thames and its "scenery", landscape and historical, with little funny stories for "detente." But for some reason it didn’t go that way. It turned out that it all became "ridiculous for detente." With sullen determination, I continued ... I wrote with a dozen historical pieces and squeezed them one per chapter. In the end, they were all thrown away by my first editor.
The plot tells of the journey of three friends in a boat on the Thames, the prototype of one of which is Jerome K. Jerome himself.
Blackberry Wine
The English writer Joan Harris is generally known for her life-affirming works, her taste for life and her talent for discovering beauty in small things to her readers. What are her works "Chocolate" and "Lollipops slippers." But even the fans of the writer themselves admit - the 2000 Blackberry Wine is the work that can switch the mood from minus to plus in one evening.
The story has much in common with Bradbury's “Dandelion Wine”. Lost in life and the once famous writer finds six bottles of berry wines, a kind of "hello from the past." And one by one, discovering and trying each of them, he reaches a blackberry, remembering the forgotten details from childhood and finding his true happiness.
"Fried green tomatoes in the cafe" Station ""
The famous American comedian Fanny Flagg, popular since the late 60s, in 1981 decided to try herself in a writing role. Her second book, Fried Green Tomatoes in the Cafe Semi-Stanok, published in 1987, has become a true bestseller, to this day delighting more and more readers and helping them gain a new look at familiar things.
The plot is based on the memories of the life of an elderly woman Ninni, with whom the main character, the housewife Evilin, who lost her taste for life at 48, meets in a nursing home. The nonlinearity of the narrative makes the book especially lively - as if the reader is the third in a friendly conversation between Evilin and Ninnie.
"Little women"
Another classic among the best life-affirming books is the novel Little Women, written by American writer Louise May Alcott in the late 19th century and published from 1868 to 1869.
The plot tells about the four sisters March - Meg, Joe, Beth and Amy, who grow up, look for themselves and from little mischievous girls become real women. Most of the stories described are based on childhood and youthful experiences and memories of Alcott herself, who also had three sisters. Her character formed the basis of her second sister, 15-year-old Joe, who dreams of becoming a writer.
"Monday starts Saturday"
It is believed that Russian-language literature is full of suffering and longing, but there is also a place in it for life-affirming books. Of course, to get rid of the blues, Dostoevsky or Tolstoy is not worth reading, but the Strugatsky brothers - how! The funniest, most positive and life-affirming book of famous science fiction writers is the 1965 novel "Monday begins on Saturday."
The story is based on the adventures of the Leningrad programmer Alexander Privalov, who accidentally encounters the whole world of "scientific magic" and its institute NIICHAVO, as well as a huge number of unusual characters hinting at sorcerers and wizards from various fairy tales and works of art.
"Eat, Pray, Love"
Readers of the whole world unanimously call one of the most positive and life-affirming books the novel-memoirs of the American writer Elizabeth Gilbert, “Eat, Pray, Love,” which she published in 2006.
The plot is based on real events from the author’s life, which divorced her husband and set off to travel the world in search of a new meaning of life. So, in Italy, she knew the taste of real food, revealing part of the name “eat”, in India she gained spiritual experience and learned to “pray,” and on the island of Bali she met a man of her whole life, finally learning what “love” is.
Almost every list of the best modern books and the most life-affirming literature includes the work “Eat, Pray, Love” - for many people the book helped to really change their life and prioritize.
"Running after the wind"
The runner-up of the Afghan-American writer Khaled Hosseini “Runner in the Wind” became a real bestseller of 2003 and has been considered one of the most positive and necessary books for peace of mind for more than 15 years.
The plot tells of betrayal in children's friendship and an attempt to settle accounts with the past. Amir, a writer, the son of an Afghan rich man, betrayed his best friend as a child, who turned out to be his stepbrother on his father. He returns from America to his homeland to seek out and save the son of his brother, who fell into sexual slavery. Despite the severity of the events that Khaled Hosseini describes in Running for the Wind, this book does show that it is never too late to correct your mistakes.
"Anya from Green Mezzanines"
The 1908 book by the Canadian writer Lucy Montgomery, “Anya from the Green Mezzanines,” is perhaps one of the few that can compare in popularity with the already mentioned Pollyanna.
The books are very similar in many ways - in the center of the plot of the adventure of an eleven-year-old orphan, a dreamer girl who finds a home and family. Anya is very direct, kind and cheerful, and therefore stories about her will be able to melt ice even in the most gloomy heart.
"Naive. Super"
Undoubtedly a life-affirming book is the work of the Norwegian writer Erland Lou "Naive. Super", which he published in 1996. This touching and ironic book is very suitable for those who are faced with the so-called “age crisis”, since this is exactly what happened to the main character - a 25-year-old man who got confused and very funny and naively describing all his affairs and experiences, changing his views to the world.
In the reviews, many readers literally call "Naive. Super" a kind of anti-stress and write that they are trying to re-read this book at every crucial stage in their life - it helps to tolerate troubles more easily, perceiving them with humor.
"Garden Enchantment"
This book, written by American writer Sarah Edison Allen in 2007, has gained immense popularity in her homeland, but is almost unknown in Russia. However, everyone who misses the fresh positive stream in a sweet, romantic and partly magical literature should certainly get acquainted with the novel "Garden Enchantment".
The plot focuses on the Waverley family, the "everyday sorceresses" Claire, Evanel, Bay and Sidney, who live in an old family house, in the middle of a beautiful, enchanting garden behind a high fence. And they also have a magic apple tree that predicts the main events in the life of any person. An amazing, light and nothing like a work will bring a bit of magic to the life of each of its readers.
"Year of the hare"
One of the most famous works of Finnish literature, and part-time one of the most life-affirming books is the novel "The Year of the Hare" by Arto Paasilinna, which was released in 1975.
The plot tells the story of a journalist named Caarlo, who accidentally knocks a bunny with his car. He leaves the injured animal to himself. What happened becomes the impetus for a change in the life of Caarlo, he radically changes his entire settled life and sets off on a journey with his new friend, the hare.
Waffle Heart
Completing the list of the most life-affirming books is a 2005 work by Norwegian writer Maria Parr "Waffle Heart". Like many other books on this list, the plot focuses on small children. The adventures of the nine-year-old Trille and Lena helped a fresh look at the world of readers of various ages. Children live on a farm, face a variety of events - funny, sad, unusual, but always changing a boy and a girl, making them a little older and wiser.
Judging by the reviews, many families read the Waffle Heart with equal pleasure - both children, parents, and grandparents with a smile come back to this wonderful work again and again.