The Flip Side of Gratitude  

The month of November, and the holiday season more generally, is a time for giving thanks and reflecting on the things we hold most dear in our lives. Families gather; food is prepared and shared; gifts are exchanged—it is wonderful and sometimes irritatingly difficult to escape the atmosphere of joy and celebration. There is no doubt that, no matter the season, practicing and cultivating gratitude can enrich our day-to-day lives and improve our overall mood and well-being. But for some, the inescapable emphasis on being “thankful” during this time of year can feel like an unfair challenge, at best. Instead of inspiring cheer and goodwill, the holiday imperative to give thanks and be merry dredges up an opposing mix of negative feelings. 

It is the most wonderful of times, and it is the worst of times. For those who must navigate difficult feelings around the holidays, it can be incredibly therapeutic to find similar viewpoints or simply distraction in books, media, and supportive peers. The magic of the library extends beyond the scope of any given season and offers something for everyone, no matter if you are looking for literal or imaginative “escape” or connection.  
 
Selected Highlights from the CollectionsFiction 
A Christmas Memory, Richard Paul Evans (2022)- "It’s 1967, and for young Richard it’s a time of heartbreak and turmoil. As the holidays approach, the joy and light of Christmas seem unlikely to permeate the Evans home as things take a grim turn for the worse. And just when it seems like he has nothing left to lose, Richard is confronted by a startling revelation. But with his neighbor Mr. Foster’s wisdom and kindness, he learns for the first time what truly matters about the spirit of the season: that forgiveness can heal even the deepest wounds, and love endures long after the pain of loss subsides." 

The Matzah Ball, Jean Meltzer (2021)- “When her publisher insists that she write a Hanukkah romance, Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt, a Jewish woman with a secret career as a Christmas romance novelist, unexpectedly finds inspiration when she encounters a childhood acquaintance at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah.” 

Start without Me, Joshua Max Feldman (2017)- “A recovering alcoholic struggling with esteem issues and a pregnant flight attendant from a racially torn family forge an unlikely bond over the course of Thanksgiving Day as they come to terms with family ties, their pasts, and important decisions about their futures.” 

Español 
Como agua para chocolate, Laura Esquivel (1994)- “El amor imposible, la tradición familiar, la revolución, la gastronomía mexicana, la realidad y la fantasía son algunos “ingredientes” que dan lugar a Como agua para chocolate, una historia original que ha logrado pasar de generación en generación.” (Marián Ortiz) 

Nonfiction 
The Book of (Holiday) Awesome, Neil Pasricha (2011)- “Describes all the little things that make the holidays great, from successfully regifting a present to someone who wants it to knowing that Kwanzaa is worth more Scrabble points than Hanukkah or Christmas.” 

Audiobooks
The Girl Who Survived, Lisa Jackson (2022)- “All her life, she's been the girl who survived. Orphaned at age seven after a horrific killing spree at her family's Oregon cabin, Kara McIntyre is still searching for some kind of normal. But now, twenty years later, Kara is receiving cryptic messages from her big sister, Marlie, who hasn't been seen or heard from since that deadly Christmas Eve. As people close to her start to die horrible deaths, Kara, who is slowly and surely unraveling, believes she is the killer's ultimate target. Kara survived once. But will she survive again? How many times can she be the girl who survived?” 

All of the above materials and much, much more can be found on the second floor of the Library! 

And if you are looking for opportunities to get out of the house, please consider joining us for some of our wonderful programs for adults. Check out our list of programs for adults online here or find events to help other members of your family get out and about by visiting our online calendar. 

Finally, do not forget to check out all our e-content on cloudLibrary. We have a large selection of books and audiobooks for all ages, including brand new titles like: 

Wreck the Halls, Tess Bailey (2023)- “#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey delivers a sexy, hilarious standalone holiday rom-com about the adult children of two former rock stars who team up to convince their estranged mothers to play a Christmas Eve concert...”

If romance is your genre of choice, join us after Christmas for Between the Covers Book Club on Dec. 28, 7-8:30pm at J. Kowboy Wine Bar in downtown Temple. 

By Stephanie Scherer, Adult Services Librarian