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brinsay's review against another edition
hopeful
5.0
I dont know how else to say this but along with being generally comforting and doing exactly what it set out to do. There is such an interwoven and intrinsic love for humanity in these worlds that listening to the audio book felt like listening to the Doctor and that was especially comforting to me personally. This is the kind of thing I will listen to over and over again.
madamecorvid's review against another edition
4.0
A small book of pick me ups from someone who understands the lived struggle of mental illness. Since this was a library book I plowed through it but it would be much better as something to have around the house to turn to when needed. It would also make a nice gift for a teenager in your life who could use little “it gets better” reminders; I know I loved books like this when I was younger and probably would have enjoyed this one too.
mrsxbnvnt's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
Beautifully written. I appreciate the fact that someone took a vulnerable time in their life and shifted it to be a work of hope.
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide
twilch's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
stephaliman's review against another edition
4.0
This book is supposed to be read slowly and only whenever you feel like you need a bit of comfort in this world.
But... over the past few days, I had THE most stupefyingly horrendous series of unfortunate events happen.
And so, feeling a bit down, I read this book like a crazed person, letting the hopeful words seep into me until eventually I felt okay again! Matt is quickly starting to become one of my favorite authors ever!!!!
Here's my favorite page (this one was a jaw-dropping moment; it was such a revelation that I had to remember to close my mouth after about five minutes):
But... over the past few days, I had THE most stupefyingly horrendous series of unfortunate events happen.
And so, feeling a bit down, I read this book like a crazed person, letting the hopeful words seep into me until eventually I felt okay again! Matt is quickly starting to become one of my favorite authors ever!!!!
Spoiler
Here's my favorite page (this one was a jaw-dropping moment; it was such a revelation that I had to remember to close my mouth after about five minutes):
"We are often encouraged to see life as one continual uphill climb. We talk about ladders without even thinking. Career ladders. Property ladders. Of being on the top rung of the ladder. Or the bottom rung of the ladder. We talk of climbing the ladder. We talk of rising up. We talk of uphill struggles. In doing so we visualize life as a kind of vertical race, like we are human skyscrapers reaching for the clouds. And we risk only ever looking above to the future or below in the past and never around at the infinite horizontal landscape of the present. The trouble with ladders is they give you no room to move around. Just room to fall."
andymascola's review against another edition
4.0
A collection of short notes, thoughts, lists, and stories that all have the common theme of being optimistic about life and existence. Worth reading more than once. Matt’s book is true to its name. The Comfort Book made me feel better about things. I liked it.
hbaubrey's review against another edition
3.0
“We are so blessed with an abundance of wonder on this planet and in this universe that we are numb to it. And it is often only in times of intense crisis that such things be come apparent. That we can see ourselves in philosopher Alan Watts’ phrase, ‘As an aperture through which the universe is looking at and exploring itself.’”
“Silence is pain, but it is pain with an exit route. When we can’t speak we can write. When we can’t write we can read. When we can’t read we can listen. Words are seeds. Language is a way back to life. And it is sometimes the most vital comfort we have.”
“Silence is pain, but it is pain with an exit route. When we can’t speak we can write. When we can’t write we can read. When we can’t read we can listen. Words are seeds. Language is a way back to life. And it is sometimes the most vital comfort we have.”
theredhead15's review against another edition
2.0
Finished this on a long run while training for a half marathon. I thought it started strong but it wasn't totally for me.
ninmin30's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.0