Books I find healing, whatever that means…

#books #reviews #healing #reading #recommendations

It’s a new term to me. I think people have different definitions of healing books.

For me, when I think of healing books, I think of warm, cosy, something I would love to read with a nice cup of coffee and cake.

So from my own definition, here are some books I find healing:

1. Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Huang Bo-reum.

For sure. This is the OG of all healing books. I actually didn’t like this book when I started out, but was hooked onto it the 2nd time I picked it up. It has a certain charm to it, and is a great read for people who feel fatigued from with life issues and burnt out with work, as it’s calming with a steady pace: there are no sudden plot twists or extreme tragedies. It does make one think of one’s life choices though, and how different life can be if one had taken a different route in life.

2. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman.

This was my first book of Fredrick Backman’s, and possibly my very first healing book. I was dealing with a loss, and the title resonated with me. There was a sense of relief when I finished the book. The book navigate/ through topics of loss, guilt and anger. Every character has issues and problems of their own, no matter how glamorous they look from the outside. And even though the characters are worlds apart, they manage to find a common ground and common good in them. Needless to say, the ending is heart-warming, a flair of Fredrick’s, he makes the readers feel good about human connections.

3. Everyday I read by Huang Bo-reum.

Same author behind Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop. I felt like I was reading through her personal book list or journal. She shares her thoughts as she makes a conscious effort reading the books. I wished I could keep a book diary like this. And honestly, there are really good books recommendations of books in it. With this book, I’m less guilty about the kind of books that I like to read. I’m a fiction reader, and I hardly read non-fiction books, and I don’t understand poems. Sometimes I wonder if that makes me less of a book lover because I have preferences. But she makes me believe that it is ok to be that.

4. The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Aster.

This is actually one of the books recommended by Huang Bo-reum in her Everyday I read book. I really like this book, and I find myself thinking about this book and its characters at times. A lonely man went to Brooklyn, thinking that he would live a quiet, lonely life till he died. But apparently, life had other plans because people from his past kept appearing in his life, and soon he became too preoccupied with them that he forgot he was supposed to be waiting for death. A book on family ties and the power of community.

5. Run with the wind by Shion Muira.

I’ve talked about this book before in a previous post, so I won’t go much into it. This book is a gentle reminder for the readers that there is so much more that one can achieve than he/ she thinks. And being able to do something that sparks joy in you is a truly beautiful thing.

6/8 Edited to

... Read moreFrom my experience, healing books often act like gentle companions during difficult times. The ones I listed each offer a different kind of healing: some soothe through calm narratives with no harsh shocks, like "Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop," which feels like wrapping yourself in a soft blanket on a rainy day. It’s a reminder that life’s slower moments and quiet reflections can be deeply restorative. On the other hand, books like Fredrik Backman’s "Anxious People" explore heavy emotions such as loss, guilt, and anger but ultimately leave you with a comforting sense of human connection and hope. That delicate balance between confronting pain and embracing compassion makes it uniquely healing in my eyes. Keeping a reading diary, like Huang Bo-reum does in "Everyday I Read," can be an eye-opening practice, too. It helped me realize that there’s no one right way to be a book lover. I’ve loved fiction deeply while often skipping non-fiction or poetry, and seeing an author embrace reading subjectively encouraged me not to feel guilty about my own preferences. I also found "The Brooklyn Follies" a profound meditation on family ties and finding community exactly when you think you’re near the end of your rope. It reminded me how life’s unexpected detours can reawaken purpose and hope in the loneliest stages. Lastly, "Run with the Wind" taught me about the power of believing in yourself and the joy found in pursuing what sparks your passion. Its themes of friendship and self-discovery are inspiring, making it a perfect book for anyone who needs a boost to chase their dreams. Each of these healing books resonates differently, but they all share a common thread: they encourage you to embrace humanity’s flaws, take a slower pace for self-care, and find beauty in connection and hope. In my healing journey, these books have been anchors, and I believe they offer that same gift to many others.

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