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[–]Innisfree 8 insightful - 2 fun8 insightful - 1 fun9 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

It used to be reading really sad books. A while ago I started one called "A Man Asleep" by Georges Perec. The dude in it is slipping into a deep depression. I started by agreeing with the feelings described and by the middle I was going "Shoot man, I can't follow we're you're going" and somehow felt better after leaving it. Other times I go back to favorite poems like "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" or "Ode to a Nightingale". Lately I found great comfort in the writings of Hannah Arendt - like drinking from a cold spring on a hot summers day. One of my favorite directors - Chantal Akerman, who despite suffering from serious bouts of depression, was entirely self-taught and achieved quite a lot, said that when she watched a certain director's films she felt it gave her permission to do whatever she liked.

I hope you find those people, moments that inspire you to feel and do whatever you like. In the words of Mary Oliver "let the soft animal of your body love what it loves".

[–]carrotcake[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

When I was younger reading sad books also made me feel better for some reason but then they started making me feel worst. I might try it again, sometimes these things can come and go. Thanks for the recommendations! It's funny that Hannah Arendt makes you feel better! I love seeing how different people are. I like her books too, but definetly she doesn't make me feel good.

I didn't mention it but definetly reading is one of the things that make me feel good. Anna Karenina was one of those books that helped me through rough times. I had borrowed heavy edition at the time and just the feeling of it laying on my chest relieved my anxiety.

[–]Innisfree 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

It is indeed so interesting to see how people relate to books. I just couldn't pass by the Anna Karenina comment because it was one of the first Russian books I read and it left a huge impact! Tolstoy is so engrossing and I absolutely agree that the size of the books, both Karenina and War and Peace has sth to do with relieving anxiety - I used to lay the tomes on me when lying down reading as well :)

Now I feel I cheated a bit with the Hannah Arendt comment because I stay away for now from her more political writings and currently bit off more than I can chew with her The Life of The Mind. I enjoy her sense of humour and particularly when she stops mid idea to have a go at one bloke or another for incorrectly interpreting a philosopher. She sets them straight left right and center! :) Otherwise agree, she can bring one down more than up.

[–]carrotcake[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Oh yes! War and peace was another one that I did this!

As for Hannah Arendt, I've never read this one. Will look it up, sounds nice.