Finding comfort in favorite books

When times are tough, many of us seek comfort in the familiar. Our librarians share what they’re reading — or re-reading — to unwind.
By Kate Pritchard, MS/HS Librarian

Mary Buxton, Library Director:
Some books just take you back, not to a place but to a feeling. One book that does that for me is “The Cat Who Went to Paris” by Peter Gethers, the true tale of a man and his beloved Scottish fold cat, Norton. Their unique relationship was anything but singular; it embraced people from all over the world. Re-reading this story always brings me comfort remembering that my mom introduced me to it; that love is universal; that our relationships with animals are unconditional and life-affirming; and that embracing one another is life's greatest comfort.

Kristin Frank, Library Assistant:
Right now, I am turning to one of my childhood heroines for comfort. Nancy Drew has everything I need during this pandemic:
  1. Autonomy. Nancy is free to come and go as she pleases — in stylish clothes and a spiffy roadster, no less.
  2. Confidence. Rarely does she question her own decisions and she never doubts her intelligence or beauty.
  3. Exciting adventures. By the time each mystery is solved, there is already another one in the works.
  4. A strong support system. Carson Drew supports his daughter in all her sleuthing with only an occasional admonition to be cautious. And pals George and Bess are ever ready to tag along.
  5. A happy ending. The villain is always apprehended and justice is served.
Here’s hoping for a happy ending to social distancing — I’m ready to get back to the library.

Catherine Lemaire Lozier, Library Assistant:
Two books that I recommend as a comforting escape are “The Night Circus” and “The Starless Sea,” both by Erin Morgenstern. These books are romantic, magical, and beautifully descriptive. They will transport you to another world and keep you turning the pages.

Kate Pritchard, MS/HS Librarian:
As soon we left USN on March 12, I went home and began re-reading a favorite book of mine: “Doomsday Book,” by Connie Willis. It’s about a young woman, Kivrin Engle, a student at Oxford in 2054, who is sent back in time to the 14th century to study medieval English society. Without giving too much away, I’ll just say that the book felt eerily relevant to our current moment, and yet it was also a welcome reminder of our essential humanity and connection to one another.

Emily Theobald, LS Librarian:
Reading is usually my go-to escape when I need a break. However, during the last few weeks, I’ve found it hard to focus my attention on any book. Instead, I have found myself reading back issues of magazines that have piled up over the last several weeks and months. I've been drawn to the Smithsonian magazine that my father-in-law sends us but I rarely get around to reading. I'm also spending time flipping through National Geographic issues, sometimes reading the articles, other times absorbing the photographs. And I am slowly making my way through Michelle Obama's memoir, “Becoming.” She is such an inspiration.

Jenny Winston, Archivist:
For comforting reads, I tend to turn to poetry or short story/essay collections. These offer quick, bite-sized reads in those times when life makes it hard to dive into an engrossing novel. A few books that never seem to gather dust on my shelves are Maya Angelou's “And Still I Rise;” Ada Limon's “The Carrying;” Oliver Sacks's “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat;” and my most recently beloved, “Late Migrations" by Nashville treasure Margaret Renkl.
 
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University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.