Books to Lift Your Spirits

The always funny Mindy Kaling has a knack for adding a dose of humor to everyday life, making for stories that resonate with all of us. From trying to make new friends to stumbling through her career (yes, even Mindy stumbles!), her ability to get a laugh out of the most frustrating situations will be sure to put a smile on your face.

Ranging from one sentence to 20 pages, these stories are perfect for a quick pick-me-up. Read as many as you need to make your day a little more cheerful and then put it back on the shelf for the next sour mood you find yourself in. A collection of quick-witted stories that find humor in both the ordinary and the extreme, they also quietly comment on the sadness of life in a way that leaves you thinking—and laughing.

Anne Lamott’s answer to both the good and the bad day? Three simple prayers: Help. Thanks. Wow. The idea being that if you ask for help, remember to be thankful and stand in awe of what’s around you to get through hard times. Another slim but powerful book, you’ll want to keep this on hand for a dose of therapy whenever you’re feeling down.

Born with a facial deformity, 10-year-old Auggie is transitioning from homeschooling to private school. Auggie’s strength in spirit will make you realize that if he can rise above the pain in his life, you can overcome your struggles, too.

Love. As they say, it makes the world go ’round. And this collection of stories, based on the oral history project and NPR podcast “StoryCorps,” will make you believe that saying is, in fact, true. At once heartbreaking, beautiful, life-affirming, and honest, these stories show how enduring love really is.

Flavia de Luce is an aspiring 11-year-old chemist living in the English countryside in 1950. And like many younger siblings, she’s trying to come up with a devious plan to get revenge on her older sisters. But her plans are derailed when a series of mysterious events begin to occur, including her father’s arrest for murder. Flavia’s tenacious spirit and crafty detective work will make you smile and distract you from whatever drudgery your day brings.

In a slump? Looking for a change? In her second book, Gretchen Rubin’s answer is to turn to habits. She presents practical, usable, and inspiring advice to help you change your habits for good. Through friends, family, and even herself, Gretchen explains exactly what you need to do to create new habits and help someone else change theirs.

Minimalism is the new consumerism, with everyone purging their closets and taking notes from Marie Kondo. But if you’re not ready to throw all your stuff away, Joshua is here to help. The More of Less will help you recognize how living a life with less will ultimately make you get more out of life. Have a highlighter ready and be prepared to feel lighter after following Joshua’s steps to finding beauty in minimalism.

Lou is quirky; Will is serious. Lou has no life plan; Will had it all mapped out. That is, until an accident paralyzes him from the neck down. Sent to be Will’s aide, Lou brings a light into Will’s life that no one ever expected…but even that can’t keep him from doing what he thinks is best. While not uplifting per se, Louisa and Will’s love story reminds us that life, no matter what curveballs it throws at us, is still worth living, and that there are surprises around every turn.

Sloane Crosley’s first collection of personal essays, I Was Told There’d Be Cake, followed her around New York City and the absurdity of being a 20-something trying to find your way. Her latest essays take her out of NYC and into more exotic locales like Paris and Portugal. With the same humor and humility, Sloane tells tales of wearing “bear bells” as a bridesmaid and her encounter with a grizzly club. Hilarious yet smart, these stories will have you laughing, shaking your head, and wishing you could accompany Sloane on one of her many adventures.