A little bit of comfort for this year

The Midnight Library was one of my favorite books last year, so I was more than willing to check out another work by Matt Haig. We were assigned to read two books related to self-improvement or self-help for a library seminar I attended, so I decided to give this one a chance. Overall, it was a fine read but I don’t think the genre is for me.

In terms of what Haig wants to do with this book, I think he succeeds. It’s less a book to “read” and more a book to peruse through when you need some comfort, affirmation or inspiration. I actually think this would be more successful if the book went into more detail about setting up your own personal comfort book, as that’s the basis for Haig here. When suffering a depressive episode he began to collect things that brought him comfort to turn to when struggling and thus this book came together. I think had it leaned more into the DIY aspect of making your own Comfort Book, I would have liked it a lot more.

There’s nothing wrong with his book. It’s great to pick up and read a few pages for inspiration and joy, but there isn’t anything I would consider next level when it comes to self-improvement. It’s the typical stuff regurgitated in different ways, which sometimes is great to hear and important for people, but for me felt a bit pointless. I think I’m just not a fan of this style of book as I find it hard to take advice on how to enjoy life from white dudes with more money than I’ve ever have, despite how much I enjoy their work. Nothing against Matt Haig, he’s a fabulous writer, but it makes it a bit hard to relate to him, even with common struggles. Overall I think this would be a great gift book for a friend or for graduation, but nothing I would seek out to read immediately.

Title: The Comfort Book
Author: Matt Haig
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 272
ISBN:  9780143136668
Three Descriptors: Inspiring; Reflective; Thought-provoking

Read Alikes:
Broken by Jenny Lawson
The Happiness Quest by Lana Penrose
Brainstorm Revolution by Heather Down
So-Called Normal by Mark Henick
How Not to Fall Apart by Maggy Van Eijk