Making coffee in the morning, watching birds fly overhead, sitting with a loved one, observing the seasons change from green to orange… the little things can be the most precious parts of life.

The humble and quiet slice-of-life books I’ve compiled in this post are some of my favourites about the beauty of life in all its everyday (and even mundane) details.

The best quiet slice-of-life books about everyday life

1. Stoner by John Williams

Stoner, the quiet and unassuming story about the life of a solitary English professor, has become an iconic classic. Sent to the state university to study agronomy, William Stoner instead falls in love with English literature and embraces a scholar’s life, so different from the hardscrabble existence of a dirt-poor Missouri family that he grew up with. In this heartbreaking yet beautiful novel, William Stoner emerges as an unlikely existential hero.

2. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

If you could go back in time, who would you want to meet? In this heartwarming and quirky book, a small back alley in Tokyo is home to a café that has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. Local legend says that this shop offers something else besides coffee – the chance to travel back in time.

Over the course of one summer, four customers visit the café in the hopes of making that journey. But time travel isn’t so simple, and there are rules that must be followed. Most importantly, the trip can last only as long as it takes for the coffee to get cold.

3. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Critics Circle Award, Gilead is one of the most comforting and quietly moving novels of this century so far.

A beautifully-written book with gorgeous prose, here Marilynne Robinson illuminates life and spirituality through the point of view of an elderly priest reflecting on his life.

This is Reverend John Ame’s hymn of praise and lamentation to the God-haunted existence that he loves passionately and from which he will soon part. It’s not without its bittersweet elements, but overall it’s an uplifting book.

4. The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama

In The Samurai’s Garden, a graceful novel that will remind you of the beauty and goodness of life, Stephen, a 20-year-old Chinese painter, is sent to his family’s summer home in a Japanese coastal village to recover from a bout of tuberculosis.

Here he is cared for by Matsu, a reticent housekeeper, master gardener, and samurai of the soul; above all, a man devoted to doing good and finding beauty in a cruel world.

Over the course of a year, Matsu helps him not just to recover his physical strength, but also to realise profound spiritual insights.

5. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

Like my favourite Japanese writers, Banana Yoshimoto has the unparalleled ability to turn something so ordinary and everyday into otherworldly magic.

Can cooking help you to cope with the despondency of loss? Yes, this introspective and soothing story of two free-spirited young women in contemporary Japan suggests. Perhaps it can.

6. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Elizabeth Strout is one of the very best slice-of-life authors, carving stories around her characters’ everyday lives and thoughts without always following much of a plot. Her books are so quietly poignant, honest, and real.

To get started with Elizabeth Strout, read her Olive Kitteridge series for some of the most down-to-earth books you can find. As one fan on Reddit shares about this series, “as a reader, you can read without needing to expect much out of it, and so it’s refreshing and thought-provoking”.

7. The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

The Travelling Cat Chronicles works its way into your heart as a warm-hearted and life-affirming celebration of how the smallest things can provide the greatest joy.

As a book with Studio Ghibli vibes, author Hiro Arikawa gives voice to Nana the cat and his owner, Satoru, as they take to the road on a journey with no other purpose than to visit three of Satoru’s longtime friends. However, the plan turns out to be different than Nana was led to expect.

As they witness the changing scenery and seasons of Japan on their travels, they will learn the true meaning of courage, gratitude, loyalty, and love.

8. A Whole Life by Robert Seethaler

I discussed with Iain whether to include A Whole Life in this list of slice-of-life books. On the one hand, it’s a beautifully quiet book in which simultaneously not much happens and life happens.

However, in a similar way to Stoner (which also made this list), it’s heartbreaking and might move you to tears, if you’re anything like me. I decided it can stay. It’s a gorgeous book about the course of one man’s life, lived out in solitude by the Austrian Alps.

9. The Housekeeper and The Professor by Yoko Ogawa

One of the true masterpieces of Japanese fiction, Yoko Ogawa turns mathematics into an elegant art in this beautiful, unpretentious and clever novel.

Each morning, the Professor and the Housekeeper are introduced to one another. Although the Professor’s mind is alive with mathematical equations, his short-term memory is a mere eighty minutes after a car accident threatened his life and ended his academic career some years ago.

With the clever maths riddles he devises – based on the Housekeeper’s birthday, her shoe size, or other little details – the two are brought together in a beautifully geeky classic love story that forms a bond deeper than memory.

10. Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa

Sweet Bean Paste is a delightfully wholesome book that speaks volumes about the power of connection and friendship.

Sentaro’s life hasn’t gone to plan. His dream of becoming a writer has long been forgotten, and now he has a criminal record, drinks too much, and spends day after day in a tiny confectionery shop selling dorayaki, a type of pancake filled with sweet bean paste.

However, when Tokue, an elderly woman with a troubled past, comes into his life, everything changes for both of them.

11. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot

All Creatures Great and Small is a true balm for the soul. In this classic feel-good book, meet the world’s most beloved veterinarian – and his menagerie of heartwarming, funny, and tragic animal patients – as he takes up his calling and discovers the realities of everyday life in his veterinary practice in rural Yorkshire.

One reader on Reddit shares that “James Herriot has been my comfort author for my whole life, everything is so cozy, warm, and light”. I couldn’t agree more: he’s one of the all-time best feel-good writers.

12. The Corfu Trilogy by Gerald Durrell

If you love James Herriot’s books, you might also like this joyful and lighthearted autobiographical trilogy by Gerald Durrell, the British naturalist, writer, zookeeper, conservationist, and television presenter.

The Corfu Trilogy shares Gerald’s story of growing up on Corfu in the 1930s as a budding naturalist, sharing his observations of the flora and fauna surrounding his sun-soaked home as he discovered his passion for animals.

I love this review by the New York Times: “A delightful book full of simple, well-known things: cicadas in the olive groves, lamp fishing at night, the complexities of fish and animals – but, above all, childhood moulded by these things.”

13. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

Murakami is the master of blending slice-of-life everyday events like cleaning, cooking, drinking whisky, and doing laundry with the supernatural – think cats, deep wells, and otherworldly meetings with people who aren’t quite who they seem. 

Norwegian Wood is a great starting point if you haven’t read any books by Murakami yet. It’s a magnificent coming-of-age story steeped in nostalgia, in which the iconic author blends the music, the mood, and the ethos of the sixties with a young man’s hopeless and heroic first love.

14. Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry

As she goes through her quiet days alone in this delicately beautiful novel, Hannah Coulter, now in her eighties and widowed twice, reminisces about the love she has had for the land, her community in a tight-knit rural town, and her time building a home and a family.

Hannah Coulter is part of the Port William series, a quietly beautiful collection of novels by the American novelist, poet, environmental activist, cultural critic, and farmer, Wendell Berry.

For more gorgeous books, you might like my collections of the most beautiful books to treasure for years to come, the most beautifully written books, and the best books to remind you of the beauty of life.

The post 14 quiet slice-of-life books about the beauty of everyday life appeared first on Tolstoy Therapy.

There are some books that leave us feeling inspired, joyful, contemplative, and hopeful about the goodness and beauty of the world. Each of these books offers a unique perspective on life, and with their hopeful messages about the world’s innate beauty, they’re ideal to curl up with during troubled times.

To rekindle your love for the world, here are ten of my favourite books to remind you of the beauty of life, including beautiful books from Tove Jansson, Sy Montgomery, and Annie Dillard among other writers who cherish our natural world.

10 gentle books about the goodness and beauty of life

1. Notes from an Island by Tove Jansson

In her late forties, Tove Jansson, helped by a maverick seaman called Brunström, built a cabin on Klovharun, an almost barren outcrop of rock in the Gulf of Finland. For twenty-six summers Tove and her life partner, the graphic artist Tuulikki Pietilä, retreated to the island to live, paint and write, inspired and energised by the solitude and shifting seascapes.

Notes from an Island, published in English for the first time, is Tove Jansson’s most personal book, featuring gorgeous illustrations by Tuulikki. It’s both a memoir and homage to the island the two women loved intensely and relinquished only when pressed by age, bringing together the meditative beauty of two artists’ work: Tove’s sparse prose, and Tuulikki’s subtle washes and aquatints.

2. Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart by Dr James Doty

Into the Magic Shop is neurosurgeon Dr James Doty’s beautiful testament to the mysterious connections between the human heart and mind. It’s one of my favourite books on approaching life mindfully with a kind, open heart.

“There are a lot of things in life we can’t control. It’s hard, especially when you’re a child, to feel like you have control over anything. Like you can change anything. But you can control your body and you can control your mind. That might not sound like a lot, but it’s very powerful. It can change everything.”

3. The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama

In this graceful novel that will remind you of the beauty and goodness of life, a 20-year-old Chinese painter, Stephen, is sent to his family’s summer home in a Japanese coastal village to recover from a bout of tuberculosis. Here he is cared for by Matsu, a reticent housekeeper, master gardener, and samurai of the soul; above all, a man devoted to doing good and finding beauty in a cruel world.

Over the course of a year, Matsu helps him not just to recover his physical strength, but also to realise profound spiritual insights.

4. How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery

This beautiful memoir of a life well-lived with animals is a wonderful reminder of the kindness, generosity, and love that are innate parts of you, just like the other creatures that accompany us through life. It’s also one of my favourite beautifully illustrated books.

“Thousands of billions of mothers—from the gelatinous ancestors of Octavia, to my own mother—have taught their kind to love, and to know that love is the highest and best use of a life. Love alone matters, and makes its object worthy. And love is a living thing, even if Octavia’s eggs were not.”

5. Water, Wood & Wild Things: Learning Craft and Cultivation in a Japanese Mountain Town by Hannah Kirshner

I came across this beautifully soothing and inspiring book in my local library recently and fell in love with it. Water, Wood & Wild Things is artist and food writer Hannah Kirshner’s journey through the culture and cuisine of Yamanaka, a misty Japanese mountain town with evergreen forests, local water, and smoke-filled artisan workshops.

Part travelogue, part meditation on the meaning of work, it’s a book about slowing down time, appreciating the joy of rituals, and finding purpose in cultivation, craft, and traditions.

From making a fine bowl to harvesting rice, this tender book is a celebration of the simple beauty of life, accompanied by Hannah’s gorgeous drawings and recipes inspired by her time in Japan.

6. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

What better book to help you marvel at the world’s beauty and goodness than Braiding Sweetgrass? This is a true love letter to the land, combining indigenous wisdom, science’s findings on the mysteries of nature, and the teachings of plants through truly beautiful writing.

Admiring the natural world is our first step to protecting it, even in the smaller ways accessible to us via our day-to-day choices about how to live our own lives, alongside the miniature ecosystems we create in our window boxes, balconies, and gardens.

“How do I show my girls I love them on a morning in June? I pick them wild strawberries. On a February afternoon we build snowmen and then sit by the fire. In March we make maple syrup. We pick violets in May and go swimming in July. On an August night we lay out blankets and watch meteor showers. In November, that great teacher the woodpile comes into our lives. That’s just the beginning. How do we show our children our love? Each in our own way by a shower of gifts and a heavy rain of lessons.”

7. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

For a beautifully slow, thoughtful, and meditative description of the natural world, read Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. This is the memoir of a dramatic year in Virginia’s Roanoke Valley, accompanied by muskrats in the creek and fields full of grasshoppers, in which Annie Dillard set out to chronicle “beauty tangled in a rapture with violence.”

8. The Gift of the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

In this beloved and lyrical classic, Anne Morrow Lindbergh gracefully weaves her meditations on youth and age, love and marriage, and solitude and contentment as she settles into a vacation by the sea.

Drawing inspiration from the shells on the shore, the mother of five, acclaimed writer, and pioneering aviator casts an unsentimental eye on the trappings of modernity that threaten to overwhelm us, offering a reminder of the bliss to be found in carving out space for contemplation and creativity within our own lives.

9. Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

Prodigal Summer is probably my all-time favourite book, weaving together the stories of interconnected characters as they witness and experience new life blooming by the mountains during a single summer. It’s a book to restore your faith in the goodness and beauty of the world, grounded in nature’s power for regeneration and human kindness after loss.

10. The Solitary Summer by Elizabeth von Arnim

If you’re feeling burnt out and need a retreat from the world, Elizabeth von Arnim is an excellent starting point. She’s best known for The Enchanted April, which is another fantastic choice, but I’d also recommend The Solitary Summer.

The protagonist of this little book intends to spend a summer wholly alone to rediscover the joy of life. She isn’t wholly successful in remaining alone, but her effort is valiant, and we can share her enjoyment of magnificent larkspurs and nasturtiums, cooling forest walks, and the refuge of her beloved plants and books.

“Everybody must love something, and I know of no objects of love that give such substantial and unfailing returns as books and a garden.”

For more soothing books, you might like my collection of the most beautiful books to treasure, the most beautifully written books of all time, and the most relaxing books to calm your mind and soothe your soul.

The post 10 soothing books to remind you of the beauty of life appeared first on Tolstoy Therapy.

As Katherine Rundell shares in her wonderfully titled essay, Why You Should Read Children’s Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise:

“When you read children’s books, you are given the space to read again as a child: to find your way back, back to the time when new discoveries came daily and when the world was colossal.”

Many of the best children’s books speak of hope, love, beauty, exploration, and courage. And, with stunning illustrations like those in the books I’ve collected below, they offer a comforting moment of rest away from our busy world – as well as a reminder that you absolutely can find art in children’s books.

Here’s my collection of some of the most beautifully illustrated children’s books of all time, including some of the best new children’s books for 2022.

The most beautiful children’s books of all time

1. Watercress by Andrea Wang and Jason Chin (2022)

Watercress, the stunning Caldecott Medal Winner for 2022, is a thought-provoking and beautiful story of a first-generation girl coming to terms with, and ultimately celebrating, her Chinese heritage. Author Andrea Wang calls this moving, autobiographical story “both an apology and a love letter to my parents,” offering a bittersweet and delicate look at shared history, identity, and memories. As one of the best illustrated children’s books for 2022, Watercress is sure to become a classic.

2. Becoming a Good Creature by Sy Montgomery and Rebecca Green (2020)

It’s no secret how much I love How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery. I’ve recommended this heartwarming and tender book time and time again in the last few years: it’s one of the most soothing books I’ve found to boost my spirits and restore my faith in the beauty and goodness in the world.

Like Sy’s memoir, this uplifting companion book for readers young and grown is similarly adorned with gorgeous illustrations by Rebecca Green. In the pages of Becoming a Good Creature you uncover a wholesome, inspiring, and friendly guide for readers who wish to be better creatures in the world.

3. The Snail with the Right Heart by Maria Popova and Ping Zhu (2021)

This beautiful children’s book is a collaboration between Maria Popova, the curious mind behind The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings), and illustrator Ping Zhu. With wonderfully bold illustrations, the book is an introduction to evolution, a celebration of the beauty of uniqueness, and a story of time and chance, love and death, and the finite and infinite.

4. Lore of the Wild: Folklore and Wisdom from Nature by Claire Cock-Starkey (2021)

Lore of the Wild is an enchanting treasure trove of natural folklore and wild wisdom from around the world. I bought myself the hardcover edition last year for peaceful evening reading, while also looking forward to the chance to learn more about the ancient wisdom and folktales from familiar and unfamiliar corners of Earth. With vibrant colour and spellbinding illustrations, it’s a joy to read at storytime.

5. What is Love? by Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis (2021)

“What is love?” a young boy asks. “I can’t answer that,” his grandmother says. So the boy goes out into the world to find out, asking each person he meets. They all offer a unique answer, but none of them seem exactly right. Is love really a fish, like the fisherman claims? What about applause, as the actor says? Could love in fact be something closer to home?

Accompanied by uplifting illustrations by Caldecott Honor-winning artist Carson Ellis, this heartwarming modern fable is a treat for children, parents, grandparents, and other readers who stumble upon its tender wisdom.

6. The Wanderer by Peter Van den Ende (2020)

This beautiful monochrome children’s book is the enigmatic, engrossing, and wordless story of one little paper boat’s journey across the ocean. The boat may be all alone, but as it passes reefs and between icebergs, through schools of fish, and next to sea monsters, it has the chance to wonder at the enchanting world above and below the waves.

As a storm brews, the little boat must find the strength to save itself as the waves build and the winds blow. And so it does, offering all readers an inspiring reminder of their own strength in this quietly powerful story about weathering life’s ups and downs.

7. What is a River? by Monika Vaicenavičienė (2021)

What is a river? That’s the question explored by Monika Vaicenavičienė, Lithuanian illustrator and storyteller, in this gorgeous children’s book about interconnectedness in our shared world. With poetic grace and encyclopedic insights, Vaicenavičienė explores the many things a river can be: among others, a journey, a meeting place, a smell, a reflection, a mystery, and refreshment.

8. The Bear in the Stars by Alexis Snell (2020)

The Bear in the Stars is a stunningly illustrated and lyrical book – a poignant yet inspiring fable about climate change, loss, new beginnings, and the transformative power of kindness. It’s a timely and beautiful book for readers of all ages that’s perfect for bedtime reading.

9. Seeking an Aurora by Elizabeth Pulford and Anne Bannock (2021)

What an elegantly captivating book this is. Seeking an Aurora is the tender creation of New Zealand author-artist duo Elizabeth Pulford and Anne Bannock, who in this sparse and beautiful children’s book capture the spellbinding wonder and magic of the cosmos.

10. Almost Nothing, yet Everything: A Book about Water by Hiroshi Osada and Ryōji Arai (2021)

Some author-artist partnerships come together to create magic, and that couldn’t be more true with the trio of Japanese poet Hiroshi Osada, artist Ryōji Arai, and translator David Boyd. I’ve included two of their books on this list, the first being this lovely illustrated poem, Almost Nothing, yet Everything: A Book about Water.

With lush art, evocative poetry meditating on our place in nature, and a translation that skilfully harnesses the elegance of the original Japanese, this is a refreshing and uplifting children’s book that opens our eyes to the wonders of water, life, and our universe.

11. Every Color of Light by Hiroshi Osada and Ryōji Arai (2020)

The second book I’ve chosen from Hiroshi Osada, Ryōji Arai, and translator David Boyd is a gorgeous celebration of light in all its forms. Every Color of Light: A Book about the Sky illuminates the wonders of the sky above us, crafting an imaginative and poetic bedtime story told by the elements.

As lightning strikes the sky, rain falls on lush green forests, and a new day blooms, this lovely book offers up an ode to calmness and turbulence, harmonizing human experience with the natural world.

12. My First Day by Phùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên (2021)

What an adventure this beautiful picture story is. My First Day is an inspiring story of courage and determination for new beginnings, perfect for back-to-school reading.

In this stunning children’s book by Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Kim Lien, book creators living and working together in Ho Chi Minh City, the rainy season has come to the Mekong Delta. An, a young Vietnamese boy, sets out alone for the first time in a wooden boat on “the great river, Mother Mekong”, wearing his backpack and armed with a single oar.

Although daunted by the dark unknown on his expedition – towering waves, heavy rainfall, and spooky mangrove forests – An realizes that it will all be worth it when he reaches his destination: his very first day of school.

13. The Rhythm of the Rain by Grahame Baker-Smith (2019)

In this breathtakingly beautiful picture book about the journey of water from the smallest raindrop to the deepest ocean, Issac plays in his favorite pool on the mountainside, emptying his jar of water into the pool as rain starts to fall. Racing the sparkling streams as they tumble over waterfalls towards the vast open sea, Isaac wonders, Where will my little jar of water go now?

Lovingly crafted by the Kate Greenaway Medal winner Grahame Baker-Smith, The Rhythm of the Rain is an iridescent, otherworldly wonder of a book, layered with magic and majesty for readers of all ages to marvel at.

14. Owl Moon by Jane Yolen and John Schoenherr (1987)

Late one winter night a little girl and her father go owling, the trees standing still and the world silent around them. Whoo-whoo-whoo, calls the father, but there is no answer. The two companions walk along wordlessly, sharing a quiet acceptance that sometimes there isn’t an owl, but sometimes there is.

In this timelessly wise and comforting children’s classic, distinguished author Jane Yolen has created a tender and poetic story that lovingly paints the companionship of a young child and her father, as well as their relationship with the natural world. Perfectly complemented by John Schoenherr’s soft, dream-like watercolor illustrations, Owl Moon is a verbal and visual treasure to share at bedtime.

15. The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris (2017)

The Lost Words is the gift of an iconic collaboration between one of the greatest nature writers of our time, Robert Macfarlane, and bestselling illustrator Jackie Morris. This beautiful book for children and adults alike is a stunning ode to the fading and forgotten words of British nature: otter, dandelion, kingfisher, bramble.

Like many of the books on this list, children’s book doesn’t seem entirely fair. It’s an exquisite book for all readers, offering a reminder of the joy of growing up close to nature, aware of the birds, flowers, plants, and phenomena of the wild planet we inhabit, wherever we are in the world.

For more enchanting books to tumble into, enjoy my curated list of the most beautiful books in the world and the most beautifully illustrated books for all ages.

The post 15 of the most beautifully illustrated children’s books for young and grown readers appeared first on Tolstoy Therapy.

For this post, I’ve focused on the most beautifully designed books I’ve ever read – with stunning covers, illustrations, binding, and attention to detail. But I’ve also thought about my top choices from posts I’ve shared before – especially, the most beautifully illustrated and beautifully written books, as well as the best books to give as gifts.

These are all books that feel special. They feel like books to give as gifts, to display on your coffee table, or at least to give the best location on your bookshelves.

Featuring some of the best books published by Penguin Clothbound Classics and Folio Society as well as indie publishers, here’s my shortlist of the most beautiful books in the world to treasure in your own library.

The most beautiful books in the world to treasure on your bookshelves

1. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Milkweed Editions, 2020)

Braiding Sweetgrass is a true love letter to the land, combining indigenous wisdom, science’s findings on the mysteries of nature, and the teachings of plants. Robin’s beautiful writing is gorgeously presented in this elegant hardcover by Milkweed Editions. This edition has lived on my bedside table for the last year; it’s the perfect book to read when you can’t sleep, want to soothe your nerves, or need a reminder of the beauty of life.

2. Every Color of Light by Hiroshi Osada (Enchanted Lion Books, 2020)

Every Color of Light is a spellbindingly beautiful illustrated children’s book by Hiroshi Osada, Ryōji Arai, and translator David Boyd, offering a gorgeous celebration of light in all its forms. Illuminating the wonders of life for readers young and grown, it’s a book to treasure for years to come.

3. The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy (HarperOne, 2019)

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse brings together Charlie Mackesy’s unique pen and ink drawings with a gentle fable that shows the beauty of a life well-lived, intertwining the two with so much joyful simplicity.

It’s a book to treasure as a hardcover, but I also loved listening to the audiobook earlier this year. Charlie Mackesy’s narration is accompanied by a beautiful music score by Max Richter and wildlife sounds of rural England. (It’s fantastic.)

4. The Odyssey by Homer (Penguin Clothbound Classics, 2010)

There are 90 books in the Penguin Clothbound Classics series, and it’s hard to pick a favourite – they’re all stunning. But I’ve allowed myself to choose two of the most beautiful for this list, the first of them this gorgeous edition of The Odyssey. It was the first book I bought from the Penguin Clothbound Classics series, and I’m sure I’ll be turning back to it for years to come.

With an introduction by Peter Jones, this is the translation of E.V. Rieu with a revision by his son, D.C.H. Rieu.

5. The Body – Illustrated: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson (Penguin, 2022)

This remarkable new edition of Bryson’s fact-packed yet wonderfully accessible head-to-toe tour of the human body is a visual feast, accompanied by hundreds of stunning photographs and illustrations. Named a Sunday Times Science Book of the Year, this modern classic is a guide to the marvels of the human body, its functions, and its remarkable ability to heal itself.

6. The Cosmic Dance: Finding patterns and pathways in a chaotic universe by Stephen Ellcock (Thames & Hudson, 2022)

In The Cosmic Dance, image alchemist Stephen Ellcock does what he does best: bringing together remarkable images for a spellbinding, thematically-organized visual journey, in this case exploring the ancient belief that the cosmos is reflected in all living things.

Spanning the entire history of art, this adventure begins with the microscopic and the elemental; continues with representations of the human body as a cosmos in miniature; and finally revels in the colossal, celestial, and infinite. It’s a book to marvel at and to inspire deeper contemplation, allowing us in the words of William Blake, to ‘see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour’.

7. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (Penguin Clothbound Classics, 2017)

My second pick from the Penguin Clothbound Classics series is this beautiful edition of War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy – which, conveniently, also contains my favourite translation by Anthony Briggs. I recommend this beautiful hardcover a lot here on Tolstoy Therapy; with its marriage of Tolstoy’s writing with such a gorgeous design, it’s a deserving choice for every bookshelf.

8. How to be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery (Mariner Books, 2018)

How to be a Good Creature is another of my best-loved beautiful books – and illustrated books. This wholesome “memoir in thirteen animals” by Sy Montgomery makes for a perfect gift, celebrating the joy of sharing a life with animals with heartwarming illustrations by Rebecca Green. As we read it, we receive a gentle reminder of how to be a good creature in our own lives, too.

9. The Unwinding by Jackie Morris (Unbound, 2020)

I included The Unwinding in my selection of the best books to give as gifts in 2022, delicately crafted by the Kate Greenaway Medal-winning artist Jackie Morris. Here, Jackie bridges the magical land between awake and dreaming where fairytale characters explore and magnificent creatures dwell.

It’s a beautiful book designed to ease the soul and help you unwind for the day, unlocking a peaceful space where our imagination can stretch and quiet reflection can bring us tranquility.

10. Gratitude by Oliver Sacks

This little hardcover edition of Oliver Sacks’s last essays has brought me so much comfort over the last five years – and it’s travelled a lot, too. While living in Switzerland, I stumbled upon the book in a Zurich bookshop and also bought a copy for Iain, my then-boyfriend and now-husband. The book returned with me to the UK, and now, living together here in Denmark, Iain and I have a shared bookshelf for our favourite beautiful books, including Gratitude.

11. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (Folio Society)

This delicately crafted edition of the childhood classic brings Kenneth Grahame’s words to life with 83 wonderful illustrations by Charles van Sandwyk. Like every other beautiful book by the Folio Society, care has been lavished on every page and detail: from the pen-and-ink designs on the endpapers and slipcase, to the luxurious Modigliani paper, and the gold block printed cloth cover.

12. Lyra’s Oxford by Philip Pullman (Knopf Books, 2021)

Philp Pullman’s books are some of the most beautifully illustrated books in the world – just look at the stunning metallic clothbound Folio Society edition of The Secret Commonwealth, or the hardcover edition of Serpentine.

Here, I’ve chosen this special edition of Lyra’s Oxford as my top pick: a delightfully gift-worthy book with full-colour illustrations by renowned print-maker Chris Wormell, printed with foil, embossing, and a place-marker ribbon. As a perfect companion to His Dark Materials trilogy, Lyra’s Oxford brings you back to Pullman’s magical world to share the story of Lyra in the years after the events of The Amber Spyglass.

13. Botanicum by Katie Scott and Kathy Willis (Big Picture Press, 2017)

Botanicum is on the shortlist of hardcovers I most enjoy picking up from my shelves here in Copenhagen and enjoying a few pages. As part of the Welcome to the Museum series, this is a world-class botanical exhibition in a book; celebrated as an educational children’s book, but just as fantastic for adults in love with the botanical world.

14. The Annotated Arabian Nights (WW Norton & Co, 2021)

Like Emily Wilson achieved for The Odyssey with her new translation in 2017, Yasmine Seale’s proficiency in (and poetic ear for) Arabic, English, and French shines through in this lyrical and accessible new translation of The Arabian Nights.

Accompanied by hundreds of stunning illustrations by Paulo Lemos Horta, this exquisite edition lets readers travel into the evocative dreamland of the stories and their history.

For more beautiful books, enjoy my curated lists of the most beautifully illustrated books, the most beautifully written books, and the best books to give as gifts in 2022.

The post 14 of the most beautiful books in the world to treasure forever appeared first on Tolstoy Therapy.

Since then, we’ve been slowly working our way through the rest of the Ghibli catalogue and adding more favourites to our list.

Studio Ghibli movies share much of what I love in my favourite wholesome books – a gentleness that helps me to breathe deeper and slow down, respect and admiration for wild nature, and that feeling of being caught up in a moment and fully experiencing its beauty.

To accompany movies like Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and my own current Ghibli favourite by Isao Takahata, Only Yesterday, here are some of the best books I’ve read with a Studio Ghibli vibe.

Books to remind you of Studio Ghibli

1. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

The cover of this New York Times bestseller for 2022 is stunning – and so is the story. Axie Oh’s The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is an enthralling feminist retelling of the classic Korean folktale “The Tale of Shim Cheong,” in which a young girl is swept away to the Spirit Realm to try and bring an end to the storms that have been ravaging her homeland for generations. But a human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking.

It’s the perfect enchanting next read for you if you’re a fan of Uprooted by Naomi Novik and Miyazaki’s Spirited Away.

2. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

If anyone is adult Studio Ghibli in book form, it’d be Haruki Murakami. Kafka on the Shore is probably my overall favourite Murakami novel, although I feel like Norwegian Wood has more of a Ghibli feel to it.

Murakami is the master of blending slice-of-life everyday events like cleaning, cooking, and laundry with the supernatural – think cats, deep wells, and otherworldly meetings with people who aren’t quite who they seem. Norwegian Wood is a great entry point.

3. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

What can be more Ghibli than the book version of Howl’s Moving Castle? Published in 1986, over a decade before the animated film was released, this is Diana Wynne Jones’s imagining of one woman’s stumbling upon an ever-moving castle in the hills, belonging to a mysterious wizard with plenty of demons.

4. Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter by Astrid Lindgren

I mean, look at how fantastic this book cover is. Ronia, The Robber’s Daughter is another book adapted into a Studio Ghibli movie, originally imagined by Astrid Lingren, author of Pippi Longstocking.

As the only child of Matt, the chief of a clan of robbers living in a castle in the woodlands of early-Medieval Scandinavia, Ronia is expected to become the leader of the clan someday. But alone in the forest is where Ronia feels truly at home. And one day, Ronia meets Birk, the son of Matt’s arch-enemy.

5. Miyazakiworld: A Life in Art by Susan Napier

Okay, this book has a different type of Ghibli vibe. It’s a recent biography of the co-founder of the studio, Hayao Miyazaki – one of the greatest living animators, with an impressive oeuvre that only someone with otherworldly focus and a substantial amount of workaholism could really cultivate.

This is Napier’s story of the themes crisscrossing Miyazaki’s work at Studio Ghibli, from empowered women to environmental disasters to dreamy utopian meadows – and the life story that influenced them.

6. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

If you imagine a Russian spin on Spirited Away, The Bear and the Nightingale would come close. At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn’t mind – she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her siblings, listening to her nurse’s fairy tales.

The family honours the spirits of house, garden, and forest that protect their homes from evil, but when Vasilisa’s mother dies, her father brings home a new wife who forbids her family from honouring the spirits. More hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows, and as danger circles, Vasilisa must call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed to protect her family.

7. A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

In this magical and wholesome book, Tree-ear is an orphan who lives under a bridge in Ch’ulp’o, a potters’ village known for its delicate celadon ware. The local craft fascinates him, and he wants nothing more than to watch the master potter Min at work – and perhaps make a pot of his own one day. When Min takes Tree-ear on as his helper, Tree-ear is elated. That is, until he sees the obstacles in his path that he must encounter to prove himself.

8. Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa

Sweet Bean Paste is a delightful slice-of-life book that speaks volumes about the power of connection and friendship.

Sentaro’s life hasn’t gone to plan. His dream of becoming a writer has long been forgotten, and now he has a criminal record, drinks too much, and spends day after day in a tiny confectionery shop selling dorayaki, a type of pancake filled with sweet bean paste. But when Tokue, an elderly woman with a troubled past, comes into his life, everything changes for both of them.

9. The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

A warm-hearted and life-affirming celebration of how the smallest things can provide the greatest joy, The Travelling Cat Chronicles works its way into your heart like the best of Studio Ghibli.

Author Hiro Arikawa gives voice to Nana the cat and his owner, Satoru, as they take to the road on a journey with no other purpose than to visit three of Satoru’s longtime friends. However, the plan turns out to be different than Nana was led to expect. As they witness the changing scenery and seasons of Japan on their travels, they will learn the true meaning of courage, gratitude, loyalty, and love.

10. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

Can a robot survive in the wilderness? In this bestselling illustrated middle-grade novel that’s also a wholesome treat for grown-up readers, Wall-E meets Hatchet when robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time and discovers that she is all alone on a remote and wild island.

Roz has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is – but she knows she needs to survive. And that depends on adapting to her surroundings and befriending the island’s unwelcoming inhabitants.

11. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

With the whimsical fantasy that readers love about Neil Gailman’s books, they’re a great choice if you’re looking for a Studio Ghibli vibe. In The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Gaiman transports us to Sussex – my own home county in England – where a middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral.

The house he lived in is long gone, but he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, which reminds him of a past too strange, frightening, and dangerous to have really happened. Delicate and menacing, Gaiman summons the haunting and beautiful nostalgia of childhood like no one else really can.

12. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

I love this review from Cory Doctorow of this childhood classic: “A book that every young person should read, a book that provides a road map for seeking knowledge and compassion even at the worst of times, a book to make the world a better place.” If you loved the sibling adventure theme of My Neighbour Totoro, this is another great pick.

If you want more tender and gentle books like Studio Ghibli, you might also like my post of recommended wholesome reads that feel like a warm hug, as well as my list of books with a cottagecore vibe.

The post 12 books with a Studio Ghibli vibe that are full of magic and beauty appeared first on Tolstoy Therapy.

That said, there’s always a place in my heart and house for beautiful books, and they’re usually what I give to others too. For 2022, here are some of my favourite beautiful books to give to booklovers.

I’ve included some of the best new books for 2022, beautifully illustrated books, fantastic books about books, and other choices that most bookworms will appreciate (even if it seems like they have every book already).

Looking for small bookish gifts? You might also like my lists of the best stocking stuffers for book lovers and the best bookish gifts from Etsy.

The most beautiful books for gifts for booklovers in 2022

1. Pictures by J.R.R. Tolkien: The Deluxe Hardcover Edition

With Christopher Tolkien as your guide, take a tour through this wonderful gallery of enchanting art produced by his father, J.R.R. Tolkien. It’s a book to treasure for any fan of Tolkien, offering a feast for the imagination.

Presented in a gorgeous cloth slipcased edition, this wonder of a book confirms Tolkien’s talent as an artist with examples including delicate watercolors depicting Rivendell, the Forest of Lothlorien, Smaug, and Old Man Willow, to drawings and sketches of Moria Gate and Minas Tirith.

2. A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader by Maria Popova

Like everything else from Maria Popova, the mind and heart of The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings), A Velocity of Being is a gorgeously curated book celebrating the joys of reading.

Maria Popova has brought together some of the most wonderful culture-makers – writers, artists, scientists, entrepreneurs, and philosophers — to reflect on the joys of reading, how books broaden and deepen human experience, and the ways in which the written word has formed their own character. 

A beautiful illustration accompanies each letter about how books have shaped a contributor’s life, sharing stories from figures as diverse as Jane Goodall, Neil Gaiman, Shonda Rhimes, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Elizabeth Gilbert.

This is a thoughtful and beautiful book to give to bookworms who you think have already read everything.

3. Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer’s Guide by Cecily Wong and Dylan Thuras

From the ever-curious minds behind Atlas Obscura comes this adventurous guide to the diverse food that defines our world, spanning each of the seven continents.

Like a feast of tapas, this delightful book offers a selection of traditional delicacies, unexpectedly delicious treats, and hidden gems to feed your sense of wonder.

4. Wanderlust USA: The Great American Hike by gestalten

I received a gorgeous copy of gestalten’s hardcover Wanderlust Europe as a gift a couple of years ago, and it’s since become one of my favourite travel books to enjoy pride of place on my shelves. This companion book, Wanderlust USA: The Great American Hike, is also stunning.

It’s a stunning guide to the best U.S. long-distance treks, short day trips, and extended weekend adventures, compiled in a hardcover that’s perfect to give to adventurous loved ones this holiday season. Once you see it for yourself, you’ll probably want your own copy too.

It’s one of the best travel books to show off on a coffee table and keep turning to for inspiration, complete with wanderlust-inspiring photos and maps.

5. The Unwinding: And Other Dreamings by Jackie Morris

In this beautifully illustrated book to prompt dreaming and creativity, the Kate Greenaway Medal-winning artist Jackie Morris bridges the magical land between awake and dreaming where fairytale characters explore and magnificent creatures dwell.

The Unwinding is a book written with the chief purpose of easing the soul, unlocking the peaceful harbours where our imagination can stretch and quiet reflection can bring us tranquility. It’s a wonderful book to gift to readers both young and grown to treasure for years to come.

Maria Popova of The Marginalian describes it as, “A quiet masterpiece . . . a love story, a hope story, a story out of time, out of stricture, out of the narrow artificial bounds by which we try to contain the wild wonderland of reality because we are too frightened to live wonder-stricken.”

6. Water, Wood & Wild Things: Learning Craft and Cultivation in a Japanese Mountain Town by Hannah Kirshner

“With this book, you feel you can stop time and savor the rituals of life,” shared Maira Kalman about Water, Wood & Wild Things. I came across this beautiful book in my local library recently and fell in love with it.

Water, Wood & Wild Things is artist and food writer Hannah Kirshner’s journey through the culture and cuisine of one misty Japanese mountain town, its evergreen forests, local water, and smoke-filled artisan workshops.

Part travelogue, part meditation on the meaning of work, and full of Hannah’s beautiful drawings and recipes inspired by her time in Yamanaka, this is a soothing and inspiring book about what it means to find purpose in cultivation and craft and sustain traditions.

From making a fine bowl to harvesting rice, this tender book is a celebration of craftsmanship, creativity, quiet dedication, and the simple beauty of life.

7. Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami

“Murakami is like a magician who explains what he’s doing as he performs the trick and still makes you believe he has supernatural powers,” writes The New York Times Book Review about this anticipated book for 2022.

Novelist as a Vocation is an insightful look into the mind of the master storyteller behind Kafka on the Shore, Norwegian Wood, and 1Q84.

It’s a unique look at the lonely and patient craft of writing, sharing Murakami’s musings on the sparks of creativity that inspire his surreal words, his prodigious output, and the life that he has devoted to his craft.

8. Collective Wisdom by Grace Bonney

In this gorgeous book, Grace Bonney, the bestselling author of In the Company of Women (another fantastic book to gift!) curates the best lessons, inspiration, and advice from women over 50.

Best enjoyed as a hardcover, Collective Wisdom is a rich and multilayered collection of interviews, conversations, and intimate photographs of over 100 trailblazing women who describe the ups, downs, and lessons learned while forging their unique paths. 

From an Olympic athlete and a NASA team member to award-winning artists, activists, writers, and filmmakers, Grace Bonney celebrates the stories of those who have been there and know the road, generously sharing their wisdom across generations.

9. Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall

“Over a hill, at the end of a road, by a glittering stream that twists and turns stands a farmhouse.”

If you have young children to buy gifts for this year, use it as an excuse to buy this gorgeous new picture book from Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall. That said, it’s a book that’s just as exquisite for grown readers.

Step inside the dollhouse-like interior of Farmhouse and relish in the joyful daily life of the family that lives there, rendered in impeccable, cozy detail.

10. Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

In this beloved and lyrical classic, Anne Morrow Lindbergh gracefully weaves her meditations on youth and age, love and marriage, and solitude and contentment as she settles into a vacation by the sea.

Drawing inspiration from the shells on the shore, the mother of five, acclaimed writer, and pioneering aviator casts an unsentimental eye on the trappings of modernity that threaten to overwhelm us, offering a reminder of the bliss to be found in carving out space for contemplation and creativity within our own lives.

11. Island Dreams: Mapping an Obsession by Gavin Francis

Island Dreams is a delight to browse, read, and hold. Gavin Francis’s memoir of a life obsessed with maps is cloth-bound with gold detail and makes for a perfect gift for curious travellers, cartophiles, and book enthusiasts.

I picked up a copy from an independent bookshop in Edinburgh, and know so many others who would love it too.

12. Ex Libris: 100+ Books to Read and Reread by Michiko Kakutani

Ex Libris is another perfect book to give to booklovers. This is literary critic Michiko Kakutani’s personal selection of over 100 works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, with passionate essays on why each has had a profound effect on her life.

From Homer’s The Odyssey to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Ex Libris covers a rich and vast range of old and new classics, accompanied by gorgeous illustrations from lettering artist Dana Tanamachi.

13. Wild Places (Inspired Traveller’s Guides) by Sarah Baxter

I love the Inspired Traveller’s Guide series from White Lion Publishing, including beautifully illustrated books such as Hidden Places, Artistic Places, and this favourite of mine: Wild Places.

From the Galápagos Islands to St Kilda in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides, this beautiful celebration of the solace of wild places transports you to some of the most awe-inspiring corners of the world from your armchair.

14. Gratitude by Oliver Sacks

A small but mighty book, Gratitude is Oliver Sacks’s most tenderly-curated collection of essays. Dr Sacks reflects on and gives thanks for a life well-lived, expressing his thoughts on growing old, facing terminal cancer, and reaching the end with wisdom and appreciation.

It doesn’t take long for Oliver Sacks’s writing to soothe my spirit and help me to breathe easier. Gratitude makes for a perfect gift, too – I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve given it to.

15. The Annotated Arabian Nights by Yasmine Seale and Paulo Lemos Horta

Like Emily Wilson achieved for The Odyssey with her new translation in 2017, Yasmine Seale’s proficiency in (and poetic ear for) Arabic, English, and French shines through in this lyrical and accessible new translation of The Arabian Nights.

Accompanied by hundreds of stunning illustrations and edited by Paulo Lemos Horta, this exquisite edition lets readers travel into the evocative dreamland of the stories and their history. It’s a huge book, packed with annotations and special details, and it makes for a really special gift.

For more gift inspiration, you might also like my curated lists of the best new books for 2022, bookish stocking stuffers, gifts from Etsy for book lovers, and the most beautiful books to treasure.

The post 15 of the best books to give as gifts in 2022 appeared first on Tolstoy Therapy.

Generally I sleep well – and a lot. But not always. And it doesn’t take long for mild insomnia to start stressing me out.

My sleep tactics cover all sorts of bases: including a warm bath with a few drops of neroli oil, a bedtime tea blend, the Calm app, and especially reading or listening to a relaxing book. If you haven’t tried it already, the Audible app has a great sleep timer to turn off after a set amount of time – I give it 40 minutes on a day I’m struggling to wind down.

If you’re not sure what to read before bed, here are some of the most relaxing books to help you sleep if you need a little help drifting off.

(Looking for audiobooks to help you fall asleep? You might like my list of the best bedtime audiobooks to help you drift off to sleep.)

The best books to read before bed

1. How to Read Nature: Awaken Your Senses to the Outdoors You’ve Never Noticed by Tristan Gooley 

Tristan Gooley is one of the best guides to the details and patterns of the natural world. He’s also one of my favourite authors to enjoy via audiobooks, especially How to Read Nature; one of my go-to recommendations of books to help you fall asleep. You’ll drift off dreaming about country fields, mountains, and trickling streams.

2. The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Although Donna Tartt is best known for The Goldfinch, her earlier novel The Secret History is an incredible book about a group of classics students with a cult-like following. It also contains one of my favourite quotes about insomnia (and some motivation to try reading The Great Gatsby to help you sleep, too):

“Nothing is lonelier or more disorienting than insomnia. I spent the nights reading Greek until four in the morning, until my eyes burned and my head swam, until the only light burning in Monmouth House was my own. When I could no longer concentrate on Greek and the alphabet began to transmute itself into incoherent triangles and pitchforks, I read The Great Gatsby. It is one of my favourite books and I had taken it out of the library in hopes that it would cheer me up; of course, it only made me feel worse, since in my own humorless state I failed to see anything except what I construed as certain tragic similarities between Gatsby and myself.”

The Secret History

3. Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

In a thread about the books to read to fall asleep, Reddit user qiuel writes: “Bit of a weird one, but Norse Mythology. I can’t quite explain it but, as violent as it is at times, there’s something so comfy about Gaiman’s writing.”

This is Neil Gaiman’s retelling of the great Norse myths, breathing new life into the captivating ancient tales of Odin, Thor, and Loki among others.

For other cosy reads (without murder and aggression) to help you fall asleep, head over to my recommendations of the most wholesome comfort reads for a hug from a book.

4. The Bear by Andrew Krivak

I’ve been reading The Bear before bed recently and it’s been the perfect book to help me fall asleep. The book reads like a dream, even though it’s ultimately about loss: it’s a story of the last two humans on earth, a father and daughter living in an Edenic future close to nature. Drift off dreaming of lone mountains, whispering forests, handfuls of foraged herbs, and bears with poignant life lessons if we only stop to listen.

5. The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry

Wendell Berry’s poems are gorgeous love letters to the land that offer the perfect nighttime reading. Before bed, delve into these short, simple, and profoundly wise hymns to the cycles of nature and hope, love, healing, death, friendship, and belonging. If you already love Mary Oliver’s writing, I think you’ll adore Wendell Berry too.

6. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

When I decided to reread Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, Northern Lights did a fantastic job at helping me to fall asleep more easily. Read about Lyra’s adventures, mythical beasts, and the beautiful aurora in the North as you wind down from the day and prepare for sleep.

7. Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang

“Deliberate rest,” as Pang calls it, is the true key to productivity, and will give us more energy, sharper ideas, and a better life. Rest offers a roadmap to rediscovering the importance of rest in our lives, and a convincing argument that we need to relax more if we actually want to get more done.

8. The Collected Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

It’s hard to beat a visit to the world of Sherlock Holmes for bedtime reading. Talking about favourite books to read before bed on Reddit, eleganthaunt shares: “Sherlock Holmes is my favorite. I have a volume with all the stories in it, so if I feel like a short story I’ll read that, but if I have more time I’ll start a novel. Takes me back to the wonderfully cozy world of 221b Baker Street every time.”

9. What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey

I read this back in the summer of 2018 after leaving my job and adored it. What I Know For Sure is a compilation of the wisdom shared in Oprah’s widely popular “What I Know For Sure” column, a monthly source of inspiration and revelation.

While it’s inspiring, it won’t make you too motivated and excited to take action like many other self-improvement books. So it’s a great book for relaxing with before bed.

10. Nothing Much Happens: Calming Stories to Soothe Your Mind & Help You Sleep

If you struggle with insomnia, you might have heard of the podcast Nothing Much Happens. It’s one of those excellent creations with a title that lets you know exactly what you’re getting: in this case, stories where nothing much happens.

Creator and host Kathryn Nicolai has created this companion book of calming stories to soothe your mind and help you sleep as a wonderfully relaxing bedtime book for adults.

Accompanied by cosy and relaxing illustrations, the unnamed, gender-neutral narrators recount their days and evoke the distinct comforts offered by each of the four seasons as they gently guide you towards sleep.

11. The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot by Robert Macfarlane

I’ve been recommending Robert Macfarlane quite a lot recently, and The Old Ways is one of the best starting points for one of Britain’s best-loved nature writers.

Before falling asleep, immerse yourself in his journeys on foot following the ancient routes that crisscross the landscape of the British Isles and its waters and territories beyond. The Old Ways was chosen by Slate as one of the 50 best nonfiction books of the past 25 years.

12. Gratitude by Oliver Sacks

I would give everyone a copy of Oliver Sacks’s essays if I could. Gratitude is my favourite book by neurosurgeon and writer Oliver Sacks, available as a lovely hardcover which I’ve given to several friends I wanted to thank.

Written during the last few months of his life, this set of essays was Oliver Sacks’s way of exploring his feelings about completing a life and coming to terms with his own death, offering an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the gift of living.

It’s a lovely book to read in small moments, especially before bed. Sacks’s autobiography, On the Move, is also fantastic.

“My predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have loved and been loved. I have been given much and I have given something in return. Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and adventure.”

Gratitude by Oliver Sacks

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Beautiful books, inside and out, can offer us a dose of bibliotherapy when we’re experiencing difficulties, need a helping hand, or simply want some comfort. They offer a balm for the soul to help you get back to where you want to be; back out into the world with mindful gratitude.

The following books are some of the most beautifully written books of all time, offering gorgeous prose, unforgettable characters, and plots that help you to appreciate the wonder and beauty of life.

Which of these beautifully written books have you already read, and which ones can you add to your to-read list?

10 of the most beautiful books with truly gorgeous writing

1. The Waves by Virginia Woolf

The Waves is in close contention with Mrs Dalloway for my favourite novel by Virginia Woolf. It’s an innovative and wonderfully poetic book, layering six voices in monologue; moving from morning until night, from childhood into old age. All against the backdrop of the sea. The Waves helped to create modern fiction and is one of the most beautiful books ever written. If you love language, I think you’ll cherish it too.

“I am made and remade continually. Different people draw different words from me.”

The Waves

2. A Whole Life by Robert Seethaler

A Whole Life is a book that will move you to tears – and then make you want to turn back to the beginning and read it again.

It’s a story of the simple life of Andreas Egger, who knows every path and peak of his mountain valley in the Austrian Alps. It’s a beautiful, heartbreaking book about what life is really made of; both the little and the big.

Choose whether you’d like to read it in a couple of sittings (like I did on a snow day in Switzerland) or try to savour it for longer. Or read it twice and do both.

“You can buy a man’s hours off him, you can steal his days from him, or you can rob him of his whole life, but no one can take away from any man so much as a single moment. That’s the way it is.”

A Whole Life

Another book by Robert Seethaler is The Tobacconist, which is a tender (and extremely heartbreaking) story about one young man and his friendship with Sigmund Freud during the Nazi occupation of Vienna.

3. The Overstory by Richard Powers

A paean to the natural world, Richard Powers masterfully weaves together interlocking fables that range from antebellum New York to the late twentieth-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The Overstory is a spellbinding gateway into the vast, interconnected, and magnificently intricate world that we depend on in so many ways: the world of trees.

“You and the tree in your backyard come from a common ancestor. A billion and a half years ago, the two of you parted ways. But even now, after an immense journey in separate directions, that tree and you still share a quarter of your genes. . . .”

The Overstory

4. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison’s writing will break your heart while you marvel at her mesmerising prose. The Bluest Eye, Morrison’s acclaimed first novel, is a powerful and painful examination of our obsession with white beauty that questions race, class, and gender with her iconic subtly, grace, and poetic wonder.

“And fantasy it was, for we were not strong, only aggressive; we were not free, merely licensed; we were not compassionate, we were polite; not good, but well behaved. We courted death in order to call ourselves brave, and hid like thieves from life. We substituted good grammar for intellect; we switched habits to simulate maturity; we rearranged lies and called it truth, seeing in the new pattern of an old idea the Revelation and the Word.”

The Bluest Eye

5. The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd

The Living Mountain is one of the very best mountain memoirs ever written, crafted with so much simple magic and elegance by a woman in a sea of male writers. Each chapter is focused on a different aspect of a mountain experience; water, frost and snow, air and light, and being. Another favourite quote of mine is from Nan Shepherd’s first book, The Quarry Wood: “It’s a grand thing to get leave to live.”

“Yet often the mountain gives itself most completely when I have no destination, when I reach nowhere in particular, but have gone out merely to be with the mountain as one visits a friend with no intention but to be with him.”

The Living Mountain

6. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Donna Tartt may only write a book a decade, but they are worth every year of waiting. The Goldfinch is perhaps her most breathtaking novel. In this story of loss, survival, self-invention, and the hope that keeps us going, a young New Yorker grieving his mother’s death is pulled into a gritty underworld of art and wealth.

“But sometimes, unexpectedly, grief pounded over me in waves that left me gasping; and when the waves washed back, I found myself looking out over a brackish wreck which was illumined in a light so lucid, so heartsick and empty, that I could hardly remember that the world had ever been anything but dead”

The Goldfinch

7. “The Dead” by James Joyce

“The Dead”, the final short story of Dubliners, James Joyce’s iconic collection, contains one of the most beautifully written sentences in the English language. This is perfect prose: every word is immaculately arranged, flowing like the falling snow Joyce so delicately describes.

“His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead.“

“The Dead”

8. Why I Wake Early by Mary Oliver

Especially here in Why I Wake Early, Mary Oliver truly gets to the beauty of life – she’s one of the finest poetic ambassadors for the natural world. I love how humble her poetry is, how there are no wasted words: “Watch, now, how I start the day / in happiness, in kindness”.

I pinned to the wall of my old house a hand-written version of the following poem, next to a map of Switzerland marked with the route I’d walked across. I saw it every morning, and it reminded me to get outside and be a part of the world.

The Old Poets Of China

Wherever I am, the world comes after me.
It offers me its busyness. It does not believe
that I do not want it. Now I understand
why the old poets of China went so far and high
into the mountains, then crept into the pale mist.

9. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

Paul Kalanithi was at the pinnacle of his career as a surgeon when he was diagnosed with inoperable cancer at just thirty-six. When Breath Becomes Air is the story of his transformation from a medical student to surgeon, to patient, seeking answers as to what makes a virtuous and meaningful life. With beautiful prose and powerful questions about what to do when a life is catastrophically interrupted, this is one of the most moving memoirs of the last decade.

“Human knowledge is never contained in one person. It grows from the relationships we create between each other and the world, and still it is never complete.”

10. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

This stunningly ambitious novel (and Pulitzer Prize winner) is the story of a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths cross in occupied France during World War II. It’s one of those books that I finished and wished I could read again for the first time. Although, it has been a few years… a re-read could be just as magical.

On Reddit, one user writes, “It is just loaded with gorgeous imagery. The main character is blind, yet sees more than any sighted person ever could. It made me rethink the way I take in the world around me, from nature to politics.”

For more exquisite books, you might like my selection of the most beautiful books to treasure on your bookshelves for years to come, as well as my favourite beautifully illustrated books.

The post 10 of the most beautifully written books of all time appeared first on Tolstoy Therapy.

I’ve shared before my selection of the best beautiful books to treasure for years to come, but here I wanted to focus on the most beautiful illustrated books for adults (with some beautiful children’s books, too).

Here are some of my favourite beautiful books with stunning illustrations, covers, and typesetting that make for the perfect gift for yourself or others.

The most beautiful illustrated books to admire and treasure

1. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson (illustrated by James Weston Lewis)

How could I not mention the Folio Society? Last year I gave Iain a beautiful edition of The Hobbit from the Folio Society for his birthday, and there are countless others I’d love to receive from their collection.

This edition of Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods is one of them. I love the vintage feel of the illustrations from James Weston Lewis and the cloth-bound cover. And just look at the spine!

2. The Fox and the Star by Coralie Bickford-Smith

Before writing The Fox and the Star in 2015, Coralie Bickford-Smith had already won a reputation for gorgeous illustrations as the award-winning designer of the iconic Penguin Clothbound Classics series.

With her own beautiful book inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, Coralie Bickford-Smith weaves a fable for readers both young and grown. With your copy, fall into her magical and immersive tale about loss, courage, and the friendship between a lonely Fox and the Star who guides him through the dark forest.

3. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami (illustrated by Daniel Liévano)

This stunning edition of Kafka on the Shore is another Folio Society book crafted with so much loving attention. It’s probably my favourite writing by Murakami, too.

4. Life by Cynthia Rylant and Brendan Wenzel

Like the other illustrated children’s books on this list, this is just as perfect for grown-up readers. Life is Cynthia Rylant’s moving meditation on finding beauty in the world and gaining strength from life’s challenges.

Accompanied by Brendan Wenzel’s stunning landscapes and engaging creatures, Life makes for a perfect inspiring gift for readers of all ages.

5. Fierce Fairytales: Poems and Stories to Stir Your Soul by Nikita Gill

In this empowering reimagining of fairytale classics accompanied by spellbinding original tales, Nikita Gill dismantles the old-fashioned tropes, bids goodbye to the docile women and male saviours, and blurs the lines between heroes and villains.

With beautiful hand-drawn illustrations by Gill herself, this is a gorgeous collection of stories for a new generation.

6. Wild Places by Sarah Baxter (illustrated by Amy Grimes)

I love the Inspired Traveller’s Guide series from White Lion Publishing, including beautiful books such as Hidden Places, Artistic Places, and this favourite of mine: Wild Places.

From the Galápagos Islands to St Kilda in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides, this beautifully illustrated celebration of the solace of wild places will transport you to some of the most wondrous corners of the world during your own reading time, wherever you are in the world.

7. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

How can I not mention this? The Boy, the Mole, The Fox and the Horse is just as known for its pen and ink drawings as for its writing that shows the beauty of a life well-lived with so much joyful simplicity.

It’s a book to treasure as a hardcover, but I also loved listening to the audiobook earlier this year. Charlie Mackesy’s narration is accompanied by a beautiful music score by Max Richter and wildlife sounds of rural England – it’s fantastic.

8. The Tree Book: The Stories, Science, and History of Trees by DK

“Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky” Kahil Gibran. As a tree nerd with a weakness for illustrated botany books, I couldn’t help but notice this book from DK published earlier in 2022.

9. How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery (illustrated by Rebecca Green)

I’ve talked about How to Be a Good Creature for years now. I’ll probably keep talking about it. This memoir and celebration of a life lived with animals is just so simply and memorably gorgeous, complemented by heartwarmingly wholesome illustrations by Rebecca Green.

10. How to Catch a Mole: And Find Yourself in Nature by Marc Hamer

Beautifully written, life-affirming, and completely unique, How to Catch a Mole offers a memorable portrait of one man’s deep, unbreakable bond with his natural surroundings in the Welsh countryside.

In this quiet but powerful memoir, Hamer infuses gorgeous poetry with stark and simple observations on nature that will inspire you to see your own corner of the world differently. This edition is wonderfully illustrated by Joe McLaren.

11. Mountain Song by Lucy Fuggle

I wrote this one, so I’m probably a little biased. That said, the illustrations are probably what I love most about Mountain Song. The cover was designed by Alana Louise Lyons, and the book interior contains lovely pen and ink illustrations by Louise Morgan. You can read more about the hardcover and order a copy here.

12. Island Dreams: Mapping an Obsession by Gavin Francis

Island Dreams isn’t illustrated in the same way that the others in this post are. But it is full of stunningly beautiful maps, so I think that still counts.

This is Gavin Francis’s project to “map an obsession” and dive into our collective fascination with islands, blending stories of his own travels with psychology, philosophy, and the great voyages of history.

For more exquisite books, you might also like my collections of beautifully written books, beautifully illustrated children’s books for readers young and grown, and the most beautiful books of all time to treasure forever.

The post 12 of the most beautifully illustrated books for gifts or your shelves appeared first on Tolstoy Therapy.

To offer a nudge in the right direction, I’ve been thinking of some of the most heartwarming books to help you step away from the anxieties of the world and enjoy some time for self-care, lighthearted writing, and uplifting stories.

Which of these wholesome books have you already read, and which ones can you add to your reading list?

Wholesome books to warm your heart and soothe your soul

1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Pick up this classic and remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German occupation that’s written with warmth and humour as a series of letters. It’s such a wholesome and uplifting celebration of the written word and human connection.

2. The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” asked the mole. “Kind,” said the boy. In this beautifully illustrated and comforting story, Charlie Mackesy weaves the tale of a curious boy, a greedy mole, a wary fox, and a wise horse. These characters find themselves together traversing uncertain ground while sharing their greatest fears and biggest discoveries about vulnerability, kindness, hope, friendship, and love.

I loved listening to the audiobook adaptation that’s read by the author and accompanied by music from Max Richter and Isobel Waller-Bridge as well as soothing wildlife sounds from rural England.

3. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

The four March sisters couldn’t be more different. But with their father away at war, and their mother working to support the family, they have to rely on one another – whether that’s putting on a play, forming a secret society, or accepting and forgiving each other exactly as they are.

Retreat into Louisa May Alcott’s classic wholesome story of four sisters: grown-up Meg, tomboyish Jo, timid Beth, and precocious Amy. For more like this, you might like my list of the best feel-good classics.

4. How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery

I adore this book, and it’s one of my top recommendations here on Tolstoy Therapy. How to Be a Good Creature is author Sy Montgomery’s memoir of her life with animals, complete with stunning illustrations and life lessons.

In this welcome reminder of the beauty of life, Montgomery beautifully shares the bond she has grown with pigs, dogs, and even an octopus during her life so far – as well as the plethora of ways they have helped her to be a good creature, too.

5. The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin

Seventeen-year-old Lenni Pettersson lives on the Terminal Ward at the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital, which at first seems like an unlikely setting for a heartwarming book. But although Lenni has been told she’s dying, she still has plenty of living to do.

At the hospital’s arts and crafts class, she meets the magnificent Margot, an 83-year-old, purple-pajama-wearing, fruitcake-eating rebel, who transforms Lenni in ways she never imagined. This book is a wholesome, brave testament to the power of living each day to the fullest and letting others into our heart.

6. Phosphorescence: On Awe, Wonder & Things That Sustain You When the World Goes Dark by Julia Baird

How do we move forward with life when everything has changed? As Julia Baird explores, when we appreciate just how fragile and fleeting our most treasured feelings can be, it’s possible to access a hidden strength, resilience, and light – or our own source of phosphorescence – that can sustain us in this unpredictable world.

Julia Baird’s intimate study of the phenomenon of phosphorescence is full of wisdom and joy, offering an uplifting and heartwarming roadmap for rediscovering our inner light after the darkest of times. 

7. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

“It’ll leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy” says Reddit user cargogal20 about The House in the Cerulean Sea. There’s no drama in this uplifting feel-good book (or modern fairytale) about forty-year-old Linus Baker and the orphanage of six dangerous children he’s put in charge of under a highly classified assignment.

8. The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

In The Travelling Cat Chronicles, author Hiro Arikawa gives voice to Nana the cat and his owner, Satoru, as they take to the road to visit three of Satoru’s longtime friends. However, the plan turns out to be different than Nana was led to expect. Along the way – and as the seasons and scenery change as they make their way across Japan – they will learn the true meaning of love, courage, and gratitude.

This gem of a book with Studio Ghibli vibes works its way into your heart as a heartwarming and life-affirming celebration of how the smallest things can provide the greatest joy.

9. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

“Mma Ramotswe had a detective agency in Africa, at the foot of the Kgale Hill. These were its assets: a tiny white van, two desks, two chairs, a telephone, and an old typewriter. There was a teapot, in which Mma Ramotswe – the only lady private detective in Botswana – brewed redbush tea. And three mugs – one for herself, one for her secretary, and one for the client. What else does a detective agency really need?”

Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series is one of the best comfort reads to enjoy again and again. If you’ve got a problem that no one else can help you with, then pay a visit to Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s only – and finest – female private detective…

10. Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury

This is one of the best “hug in a book” choices for when the world is unpredictable and anxiety-inducing. Dandelion Wine is Ray Bradbury’s fictionalized memoir that harks back to an idyllic small-town summer of 1928, told through the eyes of the colourful characters who inhabit it.

Other wholesome books you might like:

• A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
• The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• The Penguin Lessons by Tom Michell
• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
• All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot

For more wholesome books, also retreat into these cottagecore books to imagine a simple, cozy life in nature, the most uplifting feel-good books to brighten your day, and the most beautifully written books of all time.

The post 10 of the most wholesome comfort reads for a hug from a book appeared first on Tolstoy Therapy.