THE COMFORT BOOK

Author/narrator Matt Haig's nuanced exploration of comfort is a cozy escape for the listener. With his pleasing Nottinghamshire accent, Haig narrates well-crafted short pieces on perseverance, forgiveness, philosophy, selfhood, and more. To hear this author read his words is to understand how much he believes in and encourages others to actively hope: "Nothing is stronger than a small hope that doesn't give up," he repeats so decisively that the listener starts to believe it's true. Haig knows about hope; his ongoing journey with depression and anxiety, eloquently expressed here, leads him daily to a deeper appreciation of comforting concepts, people, words, and places. Comfort and hope are the offspring of discomfort and despair, Haig says, coaxing the listener to lean into this delicious irony. E.S.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2021]