Wonderful Depression

That’s not a title you expected to see, is it?  Depression is never wonderful.  Or is it?  When I was severely depressed a few years ago, I sought help, but that’s a story for another day.  What I learned then, was depression means that there will be a brighter day ahead.  Depression means that these feelings I have are normal and appropriate at this time.  Depression means that I give myself permission to be a slacker.  Depression means that I read young adult (YA) fiction (and enjoy it). 

Why am I depressed this time?  There are several reasons all related to one event.  My mother is dying.  Because she is dying, she needs full-time care and I am with her when the other caregivers cannot be, or when they fail to arrive as promised.  I have no time for my normal daily routine.  I have no normal daily routine.  My daily routine is not normal.  Yesterday, I was called away from a job to spend 4 hours with my mother.  I read an entire YA novel during that time.  It’s one of the things that keeps me from crashing and burning in this time of emotional and life upheaval.   

Here are two novels I can recommend.  They are a series, I think. 

The Wednesday Wars

The Wednesday Wars features the Presbyterian outcast in a middle school filled with Catholic and Jewish students who are released on Wednesday afternoons while the Presbyterian boy must stay with the teacher who hates him.  It is a coming-of-age novel filled with Shakespeare and baseball heroes.  I did not consider it as well written as it’s sequel: 

Okay for Now

I loved this book.  Where Shakespeare featured in the first book, this book has Audubon’s birds and a quest to recover what has been wrongfully sold in a small east coast town.  Did I say I loved this book?  What’s not to love about a book where love rules and a world gone wrong is made right.   If not for the silly cover, I would consider adding it to my library.  Perhaps, I’ll purchase it anyway.

Despite the silly title and silly cover, read this book.  It contains everything a good novel should have.