Books to get out of a slump

[SoLaLoLule]

Self-help or fiction, I don't mind. I'm 55 and feel like I'm in a bit of a rut. I have older teens still at home, a DH who's a workaholic (but a good partner), and somewhere along the way I've lost myself. I imagine a lot of people reach this stage of parenting and life.

Everything revolves around the teens, driving them around, supporting their schooling, hobbies, activities and usual teen issues. I work, and I do enjoy my job, but I've completely lost my mojo.

My taste is pretty varied. I like everything from philosophy to pop psychology and good fiction. Books I've loved include The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, The God of Small Things, Eat, Pray, Love (years and years ago), Lessons in Chemistry, and plenty of others.

I'd love recommendations for something that might spark my brain back into life.

It could be thought-provoking, uplifting, funny, about social justice, finding joy again, or just a book that stayed with you. My brain feels like soup at the moment and I'd really like something to shake it awake.

Still life by Sarah winman was something I enjoyed during menopause when I found reading very difficult. It was heartwarming and well written.

Strange Sally Diamond got me out of a slump last year- bizarre and dark but gripping!!

I read remarkably bright creatures recently and really enjoyed it

For fiction I’d recommend Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and for non-fiction I’d recommend Rebel Thinking by Matthew Syed.

I don’t read a huge amount, maybe around 25 a year but out of all the ones I’ve read recently these two really do stand out.

I had a terrible reading slump and re-reading old favourites really helped.

If you liked Eat Pray Love you could try Elizabeth Gilbert's novels - I loved them especially The Signature of All Things.

Have you ever read anything by Oliver Burkeman? Sort of anti-self-help/philosophy and very readable. I also like Jon Ronson for non-fiction.

Rachel Joyce, Nina Stibbe and Clare Chambers are all well-written but easy to read. Finally the new Katherine Stockett (author of The Help) is brilliant.

Me too!! Then I read loads of Liz Nugent’s books - love the exploration of dark characters. DH has been enjoying them too.

oooh I have that on order at work can’t wait!! I hadn’t heard much about it but ordered it anyway!!

I literally couldn’t get into another one of hers so gave up but we’ve had a lot on so maybe not the
best mindset I shall have to try again!!

Sally diamond was defo my fave but I liked our little cruelties (I read this first actually now I remember), skin deep and lying in wait, I’ll need to try the other two.

The Summer Book - Tove Jansson. Easy to read, but with great depth and full of humorous observations. Just wonderful.

Also, Babette's Feast (Isak Dinesen). An uplifting and wise short story, but a long enough short story to kickstart getting out of a reading slump.

You mention philosophy - have you read any Iris Murdoch? If not, her novels could be a good option.

Page turning thrillers have helped me in the past :

Apple Tree Yard
Notes on a Scandal
Gone Girl

Demon Copperhead

If I get into a reading slump I read detective fiction. It seems to kick start my brain into working again!
I got through a particularly bad period of life through reading Ellie Griffith's Ruth Galloway series but, although they give you plenty to think about, they may not be literary enough for you. I heartily recommend Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie novels - detective fiction in the very loosest sense. They have to be read in order: the first is Case Histories.

I think that’s a really good call. I haven’t had a slump in ages but when I’ve had them in the past a bit of detective fiction has got me right back in

Agatha Christie, lots of them and very readable.

The book that gives me the most energy and passion for life is Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding (who wrote Bridget Jones)

It's a very silly, glamourous, extremely uplifting kind of female James Bond bit of nonsense. The main charater swans around the world shagging and playing at being an investigative journalist.

She has a tragic backstory and decided to grasp life by the horns. I love it.

Eve Chase books are great reads, especially Black Rabbit Hall.

The Wedding People and The Correspondent feel a bit like Lessons in Chemistry to me.

Piranesi for something a bit weirder and more challenging but still very readable.

On the non fiction front, if you liked The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy's memoir Mother Mary Comes To Me is brilliant - the audio narrated by her is also great if you like audio.