5 book recommendations that remind you to be thankful

Coming off Thanksgiving, this is the season to give thanks for the wonderful things we have in our lives. But sometimes we forget, letting a bad day in the office, a fashion mishap or getting caught in the rain overshadow what’s actually going right. If you are having a hard time showing gratitude and desire to change or need a pick-me-up, try a book, specifically one that exudes appreciation, cheerfulness and peace.

Here are a few thankful-themed book recommendations from local librarians that can help you get back on the thankful train. Each of these books can be found (or ordered) at your local library.

(1) “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott (Fiction)

Recommended by: Sheila Bumgarner, Librarian at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library – Main’s Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room

Recommended because: “Although (the characters) are poor, they express love and appreciation for one another and the gifts they bring to the family,” Bumgarner said.

Bumgarner’s synopsis: “The four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, live in Concord, Massachusetts, with their beloved mother while their father is stationed far away as an army chaplain in the civil war. Although not well off financially they are nonetheless well known in the neighborhood for their charitable work. The girls amuse themselves at home with imaginative fun and games, including performing plays and writing sketches. They are the picture of a loving family and each daughter has her own part to play in it. As time passes each sister grows to understand her own strengths and weaknesses.”

(2) “The Ghost at the Table” by Suzanne Berne (Fiction)

Recommended by: Janet DeSantis, Librarian at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library – Mountain Island

Recommended because: “It is a novel about the actual holiday, Thanksgiving,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis’ synopsis: “When Frances arranges to host Thanksgiving at her idyllic New England farmhouse, she envisions a happy family reunion, one that will include her sister, Cynthia, and their estranged father. But tension mounts as the sisters discover that each has a different version of their shared past.”

(3) “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman (Fiction)

Recommended by: Harold Escalante, Adult Services Librarian at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library – Main’s Job Help Center

Recommended because: “It is a touching story about a grouchy old man who is trying to deal with a personal loss and finds hope in his crazy neighbors,”Escalante said. “As an added bonus, the book was also turned into a movie that is pretty faithful to the book.”

Escalante’s synopsis: “A curmudgeon hides a terrible personal loss beneath a cranky and short-tempered exterior while clashing with new neighbors, a boisterous family whose chattiness and habits lead to unexpected friendship.”

(4) “Commonwealth” by Ann Patchett (Fiction)

Recommended by: Stephanie Lucas, Adult Services Librarian at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library – University City Regional

Recommended because: “This novel follows a blended family of step-siblings and their parents over decades of conflict and heartache, with the characters ultimately grateful to have had the others in their lives,” Lucas said.

Lucas’ synopsis: “‘Commonwealth’ is the story of two broken families and the paths their lives take over the course of 40 years – through love and marriage, death and divorce, and a dark secret from childhood the lies underneath it all.”

(5) “Glitter and Glue” by Kelly Corrigan (Nonfiction)

Recommended by: Sarah Goldstein, Marketing & Communications Specialist at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

Recommended because: “This book examines who you admire and why, how that changes over time and reveals that gratitude sometimes comes only in hindsight,”Goldstein said. “At just over 200 pages, this book is a quick read.”

Goldstein’s synopsis: “Told through the reflections of a time after college during which she served abroad as a nanny for a household that recently lost their mother, Corrigan comes to realize that this woman, and her own stoic mother, was the glue that held the family together.”

Photo: Ingo Bruno

This story was originally published December 15, 2016 at 9:00 PM with the headline "5 book recommendations that remind you to be thankful."