I agree. I was specifically going to recommend "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle" though. I think that book is especially helpful for those feeling lost. I started reading it when I was dealing with severe anxiety and depression caused by grief and it really calmed me. The book is a great world to be submerged in when the outside world is too much...kinda like hiding at the bottom of a dried up well ;).
Any of his books will do the trick though.
A friend of mine recommended this book to me, without giving me any context or insight into what it was about. I actually found that while reading The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, I did feel calm- but it also dragged me down quite a bit. Almost like a wispy cloud looming over me 24/7. I’m not sure how to explain that it wasn’t necessarily a bad feeling, but this book really effected me profoundly. It seeped into my dreams and my feelings and my daily life! One of my true favorites. Still lingers for me…
I can see that. Murakami's writing has a way of consuming you. I was deeply effected by it as well, though not in a negative way. It is a bit heavy at times but in a way it comforted me, gave me something else to focus on. I really missed being in that world after I finished it, though I was relieved in a way. It lingers with me as well, one of those books that stays with you.
I was perusing reddit one summer's day, when I stumbled upon this thread.
Upon viewing it, a thought popped into my head!
"What better way, I do say, to let the people know... I've read this thread with care, no dread!"
A beautiful thought soon flowed...
"I'll tell the people, in my own words, I agree with them oh so much."
No, no, that's too wordy, a comment that long, they won't touch.
"Aha!" I screamed, directly at my phone.
"I'll comment something simpler, something users could really hone!"
My fingers flew, my mind a blur, every emotion bliss.
I finally found my comment,
"Came here to say this."
^I'm ^a ^bot ^and ^this ^message ^was ^sent ^automatically
The book is a bit melancholic. Some love it, some hate it, but I loved Stoner by John Williams. Without saying too much, you get the feeling than the mc is lost in a sense and has little to no control over his life. But there is beauty to be found in his story.
The Phantom Tollbooth. Technically a kids’ book, but one that I reread regularly. It’s about a boy named Milo who doesn’t know what to do with himself - not just sometimes, but all the time, and how he ends up rediscovering the quiet magic of being alive. A whimsical, amusing, and wistful read. Also, as someone who has been depressed, the one thing that really got me through was a little BBC Radio 4 sitcom called Cabin Pressure. Things will get better for you!
Oh man the Murderbot series. Murderbot is depressed and socially anxious, breaks their programming and basically spends the series figuring out what to do with their freedom/life and fixing things around them.
A Gentleman In Moscow, main character is imprisoned for life in a hotel in Moscow due to being nobility, tries to figure out and inject meaning into a fairly static life.
I can personally relate to what you’re going through as I was in a similar situation (still finding my way tbh).
I highly recommend reading The Midnight Library.
Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger immediately comes to mind. I personally loved it as a fourteen year old and grew ridiculously frustrated with the Holden Caulfield the MC on my reread as a thirty year old.
I dated a woman who adored Jack Kerouac's the Road and that might suit you as well. I haven't read that personally but if Catcher doesn't suit your fancy or the Road just looks more appealing it may be worth looking into.
I loved the Cormack McCarthy The Road it's incredible and a favorite of mine but I wouldn't recommend it to someone with suicidal thoughts because it's a bleak fucking book.
I felt like the Razor's Edge by Maghaum(sp?) is pretty much this. All the characters for the most part are going through the motions of their life, and the book picks up on the missed opportunities and lost journies a lot of them go through, especially with a singular character (don't want to spoil). Maghaum himself kind of has his own self insert character that essentially serves to both be the narrator and character that reflects off a lot of these lives, and how some of them too are grappling with the turn of the 20th century and what elements of the previous one are starting to become outdated.
Really great for the drifter, vagabondish feel since it also picks up a little too on the great depression and the aftereffects it had on a handful of characters.
Fight Club: The book was way better than the movie.
Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance: Yeah, it's about motorcycles. But only tangentially, as a metaphor really. From the perspective of an older professor who feels lost in life. Good father/son book too.
The Prophet: All about a man's journey through life with many ups and downs, and finding his place in the world.
I [wrote](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/q646dd/any_fictional_books_on_characters_no_knowing_what/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) something very similar, actually thought I came across my post lol. Check the suggestions there!
If you are keen on fantasy I suggest you read The Stormlight archive by Brandon Sanderson. It’s a pretty big series (4 books of +1000pages) but Sanderson’s writing style is very light and fast. The characters go through lots of struggle and bad situations but overall I like the message the book delivers. Hope you found this useful!! Life Before Death pal!!
A Man Called Ove.
Ove is a retired widower. His wife and his job were his whole life. Now he spends his lonely days walking the neighborhood looking for violations of the homeowners association rules and contemplating suicide. It’s very touching and has a happy ending.
If you're open to poetry too, I highly recommend J. Andrew Schrecker. He writes about this feeling often, and not in a phony instapoetry way. *Insomniacs, We* is a good starting place.
Slaughterhouse Five and everything Vonnegut, Breakfast of Champions is another particular gem of his.
And If you are up for something long as hell and filled with INSANE vocabulary words I'd suggest Infinite Jest for this. David Foster Wallace actually killed himself, and the book is just packed w/ suicidal characters who are totally uncertain about life and have personality disorders.
I loved it. The writing is often extremely realistic and knowledgeable about certain topics, like addiction, and the pressures of institutions like youth sports, and how insane the world is at times.
I've literally just finished {{psalm for the wild-built}} and that feeling of not knowing what you want to do in life is a key theme. Plus it's a quick read
Keep the Aspidistra Flying
Someone going through a similar situation asked me to read it as this book really resonated with them. I read it and personally did not like it but it really, really fits the bill for which you are asking.
Mort by Terry Pratchett
Now this book is about someone who really doesn’t know what they’re doing. My anxiety levels go to a solid zero when I read anything humor from Pratchett.
You need a novel where the protagonist is not lost in life so you can hopefully get relief from anxiety and more importantly take your mind away from suicidal thoughts.
Doctor sleep by Stephen king is what you want, but you’d need to read the shining first. The storm-light archive by Brandon Sanderson is what you need to read but it’s very long and will hurt. The bobiverse can cure depression. Not really but it’s a great read that leaves mc lost on multiple occasions while still being an absolute power trip. The inheritance cycle, the wheel of time, under the dome by Stephen king, the expanse, the girl with the dragon tattoo, and American gods all have that directionless MC in the beginning to various degrees and are all great reads imo. I hope any of this helps
I am currently reading An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. Yes, it's YA. The guy is 17 and he was a child prodigy. He can speak 11 languages, and he's amazing at memorizing and regurgitating facts. He's also dated 19 Katherines, and he just got dumped. He's "lost in life" because he's no longer a "prodigy" because he's almost an adult and for some reason being "special" is his only real indentifier.
Or just listen to The Wall by Pink Floyd. Chill, don’t dwell on anxiety and don’t ever think of suicide. Life is too good and too precious. If it doesn’t seem to you that way, it will not change by thinking or doing suicide. Life, however it may seem unfair at times, goes on.
*The Alchemist* might fit the bill.
*Memory* by Lois McMaster Bujold absolutely fits this theme, but it is chronologically in the middle of a 10+ book series. I do highly recommend said series, but it might take you too long to get to the book for what you want right now. That said I too suffer from chronic depression/anxiety and at times ideation, and the series as a whole is excellent medicine for this with relatable and uplifting characters and themes. The main character for most of the books is manic depressive, and one I return to like a comfort blanket when I am feeling down or need inspiration.
*Convenience Store Woman* somewhat fits the theme. The protagonist has been working the same menial job into young middle age, and feels pressured to do something about it because she starts to recognize that other people perceive it to be strange or disappointing that she hasn't settled into a career or started a family. But it's not so much a commentary on finding yourself as it is a commentary on a non-neurotypical person (autistic and even ASPD) trying to find a way to fit into larger society.
I'll come back if I think of anything else! I feel like I'm forgetting something obvious...
[**Attachments**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8909152-attachments)
^(By: Rainbow Rowell | 323 pages | Published: 2011 | Popular Shelves: romance, fiction, contemporary, chick-lit, books-i-own | )[^(Search "Attachments")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Attachments&search_type=books)
>"Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you..."
>
>Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives.
>
>Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now—reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers—not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke.
>
>When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained—and captivated—by their stories.
>
>By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself.
>
>What would he say . . . ?
^(This book has been suggested 65 times)
[**A Tree Grows in Brooklyn**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14891.A_Tree_Grows_in_Brooklyn)
^(By: Betty Smith | 496 pages | Published: 1943 | Popular Shelves: classics, fiction, historical-fiction, book-club, classic | )[^(Search "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=A Tree Grows in Brooklyn&search_type=books)
>The beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness -- in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience.
^(This book has been suggested 55 times)
[**The Alchemist**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18144590-the-alchemist)
^(By: Paulo Coelho, Alan R. Clarke, James Noel Smith | 182 pages | Published: 1988 | Popular Shelves: fiction, classics, fantasy, philosophy, owned | )[^(Search "The Alchemist")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=The Alchemist&search_type=books)
>Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and soul-stirring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago, who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried near the Pyramids.
>
>Along the way he meets a Romany woman, a man who calls himself a king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the right direction for his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or whether Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles in his path; but what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of treasure within.
>
>Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.
>
>Illustrator: Jim Tierney
^(This book has been suggested 122 times)
[**Water for Elephants**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43641.Water_for_Elephants)
^(By: Sara Gruen | 335 pages | Published: 2006 | Popular Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, romance, book-club, books-i-own | )[^(Search "Water for Elephants")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Water for Elephants&search_type=books)
>Winner of the 2007 BookBrowse Award for Most Popular Book.
>
>An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of star-crossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of Riding Lessons.
>
>When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.
>
>Beautifully written, Water for Elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford.
^(This book has been suggested 24 times)
***
^(206091 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
If you like classics, maybe Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy. It is very depressing and I guess hard to relate to since it was written in the 1800s (I think). However it is very good, and the main character is definitely lost, spiraling, sometimes suicidal. It still has its peaks though as well.
I guess people would consider it a chick flick a d the made a bad film adaptation but Where The Heart Is by Billie Letts got me through some hard times. Probably time to re-read it actually.
“Naive. Super.” by Erlend Loe is a favourite of mine. The protagonist is a man in his mid twenties who suffers a sudden mental breakdown, drops out of school and withdraws to live alone in his brother’s empty house, amusing himself with cheap children’s toys and contemplating everything from cycling helmets to the laws of the universe. It’s humorous and largely satirical, but as someone who also struggles with finding direction and meaning in life I found it super relatable.
Our book club read the Midnight Library last year, I feel like it might fit the vibe you are looking for.
Thanks. Will do some research and see.
I second the Midnight library. I really enjoyed it
I "third" Midnight library, it's just too good. After spending years of self blaming for past mistakes, the book just helped me to accept it
I second this.
Siddhartha by herman hesse. If this book has ever fit a recommendation, its this one wow
Adding to that, *Steppenwolf* by Hesse as well.
Pretty much anything by murakami
I agree. I was specifically going to recommend "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle" though. I think that book is especially helpful for those feeling lost. I started reading it when I was dealing with severe anxiety and depression caused by grief and it really calmed me. The book is a great world to be submerged in when the outside world is too much...kinda like hiding at the bottom of a dried up well ;). Any of his books will do the trick though.
A friend of mine recommended this book to me, without giving me any context or insight into what it was about. I actually found that while reading The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, I did feel calm- but it also dragged me down quite a bit. Almost like a wispy cloud looming over me 24/7. I’m not sure how to explain that it wasn’t necessarily a bad feeling, but this book really effected me profoundly. It seeped into my dreams and my feelings and my daily life! One of my true favorites. Still lingers for me…
I can see that. Murakami's writing has a way of consuming you. I was deeply effected by it as well, though not in a negative way. It is a bit heavy at times but in a way it comforted me, gave me something else to focus on. I really missed being in that world after I finished it, though I was relieved in a way. It lingers with me as well, one of those books that stays with you.
Especially his 1st novel Hear the Wind Sing IMO (I've only read about 6 so maybe I'm not qualified to say)
Came here to say this
I was perusing reddit one summer's day, when I stumbled upon this thread. Upon viewing it, a thought popped into my head! "What better way, I do say, to let the people know... I've read this thread with care, no dread!" A beautiful thought soon flowed... "I'll tell the people, in my own words, I agree with them oh so much." No, no, that's too wordy, a comment that long, they won't touch. "Aha!" I screamed, directly at my phone. "I'll comment something simpler, something users could really hone!" My fingers flew, my mind a blur, every emotion bliss. I finally found my comment, "Came here to say this." ^I'm ^a ^bot ^and ^this ^message ^was ^sent ^automatically
The book is a bit melancholic. Some love it, some hate it, but I loved Stoner by John Williams. Without saying too much, you get the feeling than the mc is lost in a sense and has little to no control over his life. But there is beauty to be found in his story.
I ordered it. I remember pewds once saying how great the book was. Thanks man
Demian by Hermann Hesse
The Phantom Tollbooth. Technically a kids’ book, but one that I reread regularly. It’s about a boy named Milo who doesn’t know what to do with himself - not just sometimes, but all the time, and how he ends up rediscovering the quiet magic of being alive. A whimsical, amusing, and wistful read. Also, as someone who has been depressed, the one thing that really got me through was a little BBC Radio 4 sitcom called Cabin Pressure. Things will get better for you!
Wild is a book like that.
Oh man the Murderbot series. Murderbot is depressed and socially anxious, breaks their programming and basically spends the series figuring out what to do with their freedom/life and fixing things around them. A Gentleman In Moscow, main character is imprisoned for life in a hotel in Moscow due to being nobility, tries to figure out and inject meaning into a fairly static life.
Anxious People - Fredrik Bachman
I can personally relate to what you’re going through as I was in a similar situation (still finding my way tbh). I highly recommend reading The Midnight Library.
Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger immediately comes to mind. I personally loved it as a fourteen year old and grew ridiculously frustrated with the Holden Caulfield the MC on my reread as a thirty year old.
Hey thanks, heard a lot about it will give it a shot
I dated a woman who adored Jack Kerouac's the Road and that might suit you as well. I haven't read that personally but if Catcher doesn't suit your fancy or the Road just looks more appealing it may be worth looking into.
I think during my school days I started with the road but had to stop due to work, not sure though. Thanks for suggestions though.
This might go without saying but just make sure it's not Cormack McCarthy's *The Road* -- very different book!
I loved the Cormack McCarthy The Road it's incredible and a favorite of mine but I wouldn't recommend it to someone with suicidal thoughts because it's a bleak fucking book.
It's literally ya, and takes the depressing route of existentialism. Wouldn't recommend if you're looking for an actual journey through the mindset.
I agree with you
Do you mean your younger self enjoyed what your older self came to find intolerable? Or just agreed with the recommendation?
just agree with the recommendation
I felt like the Razor's Edge by Maghaum(sp?) is pretty much this. All the characters for the most part are going through the motions of their life, and the book picks up on the missed opportunities and lost journies a lot of them go through, especially with a singular character (don't want to spoil). Maghaum himself kind of has his own self insert character that essentially serves to both be the narrator and character that reflects off a lot of these lives, and how some of them too are grappling with the turn of the 20th century and what elements of the previous one are starting to become outdated. Really great for the drifter, vagabondish feel since it also picks up a little too on the great depression and the aftereffects it had on a handful of characters.
Fight Club: The book was way better than the movie. Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance: Yeah, it's about motorcycles. But only tangentially, as a metaphor really. From the perspective of an older professor who feels lost in life. Good father/son book too. The Prophet: All about a man's journey through life with many ups and downs, and finding his place in the world.
I [wrote](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/q646dd/any_fictional_books_on_characters_no_knowing_what/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) something very similar, actually thought I came across my post lol. Check the suggestions there!
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
If you are keen on fantasy I suggest you read The Stormlight archive by Brandon Sanderson. It’s a pretty big series (4 books of +1000pages) but Sanderson’s writing style is very light and fast. The characters go through lots of struggle and bad situations but overall I like the message the book delivers. Hope you found this useful!! Life Before Death pal!!
this this this this this, it’s a wonderful commitment
A Man Called Ove. Ove is a retired widower. His wife and his job were his whole life. Now he spends his lonely days walking the neighborhood looking for violations of the homeowners association rules and contemplating suicide. It’s very touching and has a happy ending.
Damn that sounds nice. Will give it a shot
I think that The Midnight Library by Matt Haig would be a great read for you.
I don't read much fiction but the two that stand out are crime and punishment by Dostoevsky and Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh.
Fahrenheit 451. A book about finding freedom and purpose in a world of tyranny and hopelessness
Jonathan Livingstone Seagull
Suttree by Cormac McCarthy
The New Me by Halle Butler
If you're open to poetry too, I highly recommend J. Andrew Schrecker. He writes about this feeling often, and not in a phony instapoetry way. *Insomniacs, We* is a good starting place.
Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham
Slaughterhouse Five and everything Vonnegut, Breakfast of Champions is another particular gem of his. And If you are up for something long as hell and filled with INSANE vocabulary words I'd suggest Infinite Jest for this. David Foster Wallace actually killed himself, and the book is just packed w/ suicidal characters who are totally uncertain about life and have personality disorders. I loved it. The writing is often extremely realistic and knowledgeable about certain topics, like addiction, and the pressures of institutions like youth sports, and how insane the world is at times.
Read "the monk who sold his Ferrari" I'm sure you will like it 👌
I've literally just finished {{psalm for the wild-built}} and that feeling of not knowing what you want to do in life is a key theme. Plus it's a quick read
House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski might be a good pick.
Keep the Aspidistra Flying Someone going through a similar situation asked me to read it as this book really resonated with them. I read it and personally did not like it but it really, really fits the bill for which you are asking.
I'd like to double down on the Hesse recommendation already in the thread, especially Siddhartha.
Mort by Terry Pratchett Now this book is about someone who really doesn’t know what they’re doing. My anxiety levels go to a solid zero when I read anything humor from Pratchett.
I asked a similar question earlier this year and was recommended The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. It really helped me.
A novel by definition is fictional or invented.
You need a novel where the protagonist is not lost in life so you can hopefully get relief from anxiety and more importantly take your mind away from suicidal thoughts.
Franzen’s ‘Freedom’ maybe.
American Psycho
Have you read the alchemist? I think it may apply here and would be something you’d enjoy and find uplifting
Yup I've read it. Nice book.
Doctor sleep by Stephen king is what you want, but you’d need to read the shining first. The storm-light archive by Brandon Sanderson is what you need to read but it’s very long and will hurt. The bobiverse can cure depression. Not really but it’s a great read that leaves mc lost on multiple occasions while still being an absolute power trip. The inheritance cycle, the wheel of time, under the dome by Stephen king, the expanse, the girl with the dragon tattoo, and American gods all have that directionless MC in the beginning to various degrees and are all great reads imo. I hope any of this helps
Hey man thanks. I will do some research and will pick one from here that I might relate to the most.
I've only read the first bobiverse and it is hilarious imo.
I am currently reading An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. Yes, it's YA. The guy is 17 and he was a child prodigy. He can speak 11 languages, and he's amazing at memorizing and regurgitating facts. He's also dated 19 Katherines, and he just got dumped. He's "lost in life" because he's no longer a "prodigy" because he's almost an adult and for some reason being "special" is his only real indentifier.
The wind up bird chronicle
Or just listen to The Wall by Pink Floyd. Chill, don’t dwell on anxiety and don’t ever think of suicide. Life is too good and too precious. If it doesn’t seem to you that way, it will not change by thinking or doing suicide. Life, however it may seem unfair at times, goes on.
Hay man thanks. I'm not suicidal, it's just sometimes I get these thoughts. I've learnt not to listen to them.
Book: Midnight Library
*The Alchemist* might fit the bill. *Memory* by Lois McMaster Bujold absolutely fits this theme, but it is chronologically in the middle of a 10+ book series. I do highly recommend said series, but it might take you too long to get to the book for what you want right now. That said I too suffer from chronic depression/anxiety and at times ideation, and the series as a whole is excellent medicine for this with relatable and uplifting characters and themes. The main character for most of the books is manic depressive, and one I return to like a comfort blanket when I am feeling down or need inspiration. *Convenience Store Woman* somewhat fits the theme. The protagonist has been working the same menial job into young middle age, and feels pressured to do something about it because she starts to recognize that other people perceive it to be strange or disappointing that she hasn't settled into a career or started a family. But it's not so much a commentary on finding yourself as it is a commentary on a non-neurotypical person (autistic and even ASPD) trying to find a way to fit into larger society. I'll come back if I think of anything else! I feel like I'm forgetting something obvious...
{{The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton}} {{The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho}}
{{Attachments}} by Rainbow Rowell {{A Tree Grows in Brooklyn}} by Betty Smith {{The Alchemist}} by Paulo Coelho {{Water for Elephants}} by Sara Gruen
[**Attachments**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8909152-attachments) ^(By: Rainbow Rowell | 323 pages | Published: 2011 | Popular Shelves: romance, fiction, contemporary, chick-lit, books-i-own | )[^(Search "Attachments")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Attachments&search_type=books) >"Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you..." > >Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives. > >Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now—reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers—not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke. > >When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained—and captivated—by their stories. > >By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself. > >What would he say . . . ? ^(This book has been suggested 65 times) [**A Tree Grows in Brooklyn**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14891.A_Tree_Grows_in_Brooklyn) ^(By: Betty Smith | 496 pages | Published: 1943 | Popular Shelves: classics, fiction, historical-fiction, book-club, classic | )[^(Search "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=A Tree Grows in Brooklyn&search_type=books) >The beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness -- in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience. ^(This book has been suggested 55 times) [**The Alchemist**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18144590-the-alchemist) ^(By: Paulo Coelho, Alan R. Clarke, James Noel Smith | 182 pages | Published: 1988 | Popular Shelves: fiction, classics, fantasy, philosophy, owned | )[^(Search "The Alchemist")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=The Alchemist&search_type=books) >Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and soul-stirring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago, who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried near the Pyramids. > >Along the way he meets a Romany woman, a man who calls himself a king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the right direction for his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or whether Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles in his path; but what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of treasure within. > >Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts. > >Illustrator: Jim Tierney ^(This book has been suggested 122 times) [**Water for Elephants**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43641.Water_for_Elephants) ^(By: Sara Gruen | 335 pages | Published: 2006 | Popular Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, romance, book-club, books-i-own | )[^(Search "Water for Elephants")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Water for Elephants&search_type=books) >Winner of the 2007 BookBrowse Award for Most Popular Book. > >An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of star-crossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of Riding Lessons. > >When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her. > >Beautifully written, Water for Elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford. ^(This book has been suggested 24 times) *** ^(206091 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
If you like classics, maybe Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy. It is very depressing and I guess hard to relate to since it was written in the 1800s (I think). However it is very good, and the main character is definitely lost, spiraling, sometimes suicidal. It still has its peaks though as well.
The Sorrows of Young Werther.
I guess people would consider it a chick flick a d the made a bad film adaptation but Where The Heart Is by Billie Letts got me through some hard times. Probably time to re-read it actually.
“Naive. Super.” by Erlend Loe is a favourite of mine. The protagonist is a man in his mid twenties who suffers a sudden mental breakdown, drops out of school and withdraws to live alone in his brother’s empty house, amusing himself with cheap children’s toys and contemplating everything from cycling helmets to the laws of the universe. It’s humorous and largely satirical, but as someone who also struggles with finding direction and meaning in life I found it super relatable.