Do These Authors Spark Joy? . . . . Yes.
When someone asks me who my favorite author is, I typically reply by staring at them with confused and tenantless orbs. How could any reasonable person possibly choose? There are some authors, however, whose stories and prose feel like warm, fleecy hugs. And since we've all been deprived of hugs lately, #ronaisashrew I'll share some of them here.
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse (1881-1975) was an English author and humorist. His Blandings Castle and Jeeves books are some of my very favorites. I love the hilarious adventures Wodehouse's characters embark upon and his writing has very much inspired my own.
As the world's most beloved veterinarian, James Herriot (1916-1995) takes us with him on his adventures throughout the English countryside. His menagerie of adorable animal patients are both heartwarming and tragic. As an animal lover, I can't get enough of his books.
Most of us are familiar with Harry Potter. If not, it's time to come out from beneath your rock. If we haven't read the books, we've watched the movies. But if you haven't read the books, I highly recommend doing so. Rowling has created such a rich world with such bewitching characters that the movies, as wonderful as they are, simply can't capture it all.
TJ Klune has written multiple books, but so far I've only had the pleasure of reading his contemporary fantasy, The House in the Cerulean Sea. Let me tell you, it's a feel-good-hug-and-a-half. Add in a magical island and a cast of quirky characters and you're in for a weekend well-spent.
Just when you think you can't love your dog (or cat, or horse, or fish, etc . . .) any more, A Dog's Purpose comes along. I didn't see the movie, but the book captured me completely. We need more books like this on the shelves about our animal friends.