By Damla
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. For those of us celebrating, this means a time of gathering around a classic feast of roasted turkey and all the trimmings with loved ones, friends and family, and reflecting on the blessings in our lives. And for those of us who are not American, it can still be a beautiful moment to appreciate the good things in life. At the top of that list, I believe, comes a supportive community and newfound connections that are a lifeline when it comes to building a happy life (although a delicious feast is also quite lovely.)
We, as the ABC, are grateful to be a part of the growing, diverse community of booklovers in the Netherlands (and being a home away from home if needed) by being a safe place for all to connect and to learn. So, in honor of Thanksgiving and in the spirit of appreciation, here are our top 5 picks celebrating heartwarming stories which cherish that beautiful connection with found families:
1. The House in the Cerulean Sea – T.J. Klune
“We should always make time for the things we like. If we don’t, we might forget how to be happy.”
This book is an unexpectedly bright burst of sunshine and joy that you may not even know that you need in your life. It is so entirely wholesome, colorful, emotional, and cheesy in just the right way. Peppered with a sassy, immediately lovable cast of characters that are so unique in their own ways, it carries the delicate and loving bond born out of the found-family trope to a whole new delightful level. Full of laugh-out-loud one-liners and marshmallow fluffy emotions, this is a feel-good book if there ever was one.
2. The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet: Wayfarers Series – Becky Chambers
“All you can do, Rosemary – all any of us can do – is work to be something positive instead. That is a choice that every sapient must make every day of their life. The universe is what we make of it. It’s up to you to decide what part you will play.”
Here at the ABC, we are quite the fans of Becky Chambers. The worlds she creates are without fail so imaginative and adventurous, yet so cozy and full of feels that it is impossible to resist their charms. If you (like myself) never thought that the sci-fi genre with its frighteningly advanced technology and the cold deep space setting could be wholesome, this is the book to make you reconsider.
It has plenty of action to drive the plot forward, but more than all the bangs and the booms, it is the attention to detail when it comes to the created worlds and the depths of the characters that really make this book shine. The beautiful friendships, the dynamics of the crew that has formed into a family of their own, the sense of wonder, and the optimism that it exudes just feels like a space-hug. (That’s just like a normal hug, but it’s set on a spaceship. Maybe there are some bio-suits involved. The backdrop is beautiful and terrifying.)
3. Delicious in Dungeon – Ryoko Kui
Talking about a big Thanksgiving feast!
As young Laios and his company raid through endless chambers of a dungeon in order to save one of their members from a dragon’s stomach, the group must think outside the box and find provisions from the creatures they fight to complete their quest. The recipes in the book might be quite difficult to replicate (unless you have a Basilisk or a Walking Mushroom lying around your pantry), but it is a deliciously entertaining adventure nonetheless with unexpectedly sweet moments and blossoming friendships in a unique setting.
(Now also a Netflix show!)
4. The Wild Robot – Peter Brown
“My mind is strong, but my body will not last forever. I want to survive as long as possible. And to do that I will need the help of my friends.”
This is technically a children’s book, but it is so heartwarming and sweet that it will surely move everyone reading the story of Roz, no matter the age. Roz is a high-tech servant robot accidentally marooned at a remote island inhabited only by wild fauna and flora. As she learns how to navigate the unforgiving elements of nature as well as the unwelcoming group of animals around her, it is a wonder to witness her develop kindness and compassion on the path to connect with others.
With lovely artwork scattered within its pages, you will be left wanting more of this lovable robot and the little family she builds for herself. (Which is great, because there are 2 other books in the series called Wild Robot Escapes and The Wild Robot Protects, as well as a gorgeously animated movie in the theaters at this moment!)
5. The Teller of Small Fortunes – Julie Leong
“Familiarity could look very much like love from a certain angle, if one didn’t look too hard. Everyone deserves a home… And what was a home but somewhere you wouldn’t have to feel quite so alone?”
Not to wander too far into the cheesy category, but I strongly believe that home is never just one place. It is a feeling of safety and comfort that we build with those who surround us. That is why, especially as an immigrant, it is essential to connect to other people even if it is difficult in a new place, even if you sometimes feel like an outsider, even if you feel like you have to balance the cultural differences at all times. The Teller of Small Fortunes is a beautiful manifestation of this idea.
It is a gentle-paced cozy fantasy that touches upon the struggles that many expats might find familiar: moving to a new country with a new culture at a young age, not fitting in, being torn between the two cultures. But it also touches upon the unexpected and heartfelt connections we make on the way.
Looking for something other than Sci-Fi or Fantasy? Not to worry! Try these titles that will make you ponder about the power of building a community for yourself, whatever your circumstance (or age!)
The Thursday Murder Club – Richard Osman
Winner of the 2021 British Book Award for Author of the Year.
In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders. But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case.
Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.
Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it’s too late?
A Man Called Ove – Fredrik Backman
Meet Ove. He’s a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell, but must Ove be bitter just because he doesn’t walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?
Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove’s mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents’ association to their very foundations.
The Art of Gathering – Priya Parker
We spend our lives gathering – first in classrooms and then in meetings, weddings, conferences and away days. Yet so many of us spend this time in underwhelming moments that fail to engage us, inspire us, or connect us. We’ve all sat in meetings where people talk past each other or go through the motions and others which galvanize a team and remind everyone why they first took the job. We’ve been to weddings that were deeply moving and others that were run-of-the-mill and simply faded away.
Why do some moments take off and others fizzle? What’s the difference between the gatherings that inspire you and the ones that don’t?
In The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker gets to the heart of these questions and reveals how to design a transformative gathering. An expert on organizing successful gatherings whether in conference centres or her living room, Parker shows us how to create moving, magical, mind-changing experiences – even in spaces where we’ve come to expect little.
