Reads For A Broken Heart.
Broken hearts, or hearts that are in the process of being broken, bring a lot of people to therapy. And when we are heart broken, we are tempted to rely on the old platitude that “time heals all wounds.” We do this, to allow ourselves permission to sit back and wait. It absolves us of the responsibility to do anything about it.
The problem with this, is that the concept of time as being the solution is only half true. It will get you fifty percent of the way there. The other half is the work you do to mend your own broken pieces. I call this “work,” because it’s an intentional exchange of emotional labour for the longer term “one day” when you feel better. Much like nodding patiently whilst your boss micromanages your workload or attending a pointless training day, it’s the mundane stuff that must be done day-to-day for the pay rise in twelve months’ time.
Sometimes therapy is part of this work. Importantly so is a whole bunch of other stuff, like building connections with others, looking after your health, engaging your brain, challenging your worldview and doing new things. This is the work and there is no escaping it.
As part of this process, I recommend A LOT of books to people. Because reading is a beautiful way to kill two birds with one stone, it engages your brain and make us reflect on ourselves and our world view.
So, I’ve put together a list of recommended books; all categorised according to where your headspace is at right now and what you think you might need. Note: this list is current to the time of writing, July 2022. Go forth and browse.
Some Reads For A Broken Heart.
Epic Fiction: Please universe give me anything that makes me not think about them. Sweep me up in an alternative universe. BUT not love stories, because right now love sucks, people are shit and I’m-never-trusting-anyone-ever-again.
- All The Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr
- Pachinko, Min Jin Lee
- American Dirt, Jeanine Cummins
- Boy Swallows Universe, Trent Dalton
- Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden
Modern Fiction: Make it relatable enough, but like, not my actual reality. I want a damaged protagonist so I can pity them and not myself.
- Sorrow & Bliss, Meg Mason
- Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, Gail Honeyman
- Fleishman Is In Trouble, Taffy Brodesser-Akner
- Three Women, Lisa Taddeo
- Daisy Jones & The Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Love & Virtue, Diana Reid
- Anything Sally Rooney has ever written.
Self Help: I’m now in search of answers and will do anything to figure out what went wrong…including taking broad sweeping life advice from people I’ve never met.
- The Panic Years, Nell Frizzell
- Untamed, Glennon Doyle
- How To Fail, Elizabeth Day
- Heartsick, Jessie Stephens
Serious Things: Please universe remind me of the bigger picture.
- Becoming, Michelle Obama
- The Happiest Man on Earth, Eddie Jaku
- Cilka’s Journey, Heather Morris*
- Any Ordinary Day, Leigh Sales
- The Mother Wound, Amani Haydar*
*content warning – these texts discuss themes related to violence, abuse and neglect. Please be mindful of your own needs if selecting to read.
Until next time,
Courtney
