MANILA, Philippines – No matter how you fight it, you sometimes feel blue.
The whole month of August found the country, mostly the Western side, dripping wet and devastated from all the heavy rains and flooding brought about by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) reacting to weather disturbances like Low Pressure Areas (LPAs), Tropical Depressions (TDs), and Tropical Storms around the country. Now the weather system is shifting to Amihan, and this does not guarantee better days, because there is also the El Niño phenomenon to adjust to.
When your world is a little topsy-turvy and you’re feeling blue, it is always nice to turn to a good book, as words have a way of uplifting your spirit, making you feel less alone, offering hope, and feeding your soul with positivity and joy.
To help beat the blues, Fully Booked has come up with a list of eight Hopecore books to indulge in for when the world is a little harsh, a bit too tough and rough, and you need a certain kind of magic that only words can give to make you walk on sunshine once again.
1. 'Devotions: Selected Poems' by Mary Oliver
"Devotions" is a collection of poetry by the late Mary Oliver. It contains her works from her early years as a young poet to her reflections as a senior citizen, and culminates in her final collection published in 2015 before her passing.
From poems about the hatching of bird eggs to her love for her dog to her relationship with poetry, Oliver invites readers to look beyond everyday life. This is the kind of book that fills you with wonder about the world — no matter which page you open. Oliver, who writes poignant verses about nature and the full spectrum of human emotions, reminds readers to pause, pay attention, and not take anything for granted.
2. 'We Burned So Bright' by TJ Klune
"We Burned So Bright" follows husbands Don and Rodney on a cross-country road trip as the Earth is about to be annihilated by a black hole. With just three weeks left before the end of the world, they head for Washington to settle an unfinished business. Their journey brings them into the lives of a variety of strangers, each coping with the impending doom in a different way.
As the world around them slips away, they reflect on their lives and their love: Was it enough? Did they live fully? Would they choose differently if given another chance?
Heartbreaking yet tender, this book shows us that life is fragile and poses a haunting question: “Amidst the inevitable doom, is it enough to burn bright if nothing comes from the ashes?”
3. 'I Eat the Stars' by Sarah Wilson
It’s hard to ignore the feeling that something is deeply wrong with the world today. If you feel this way, award-winning journalist and author Sarah Wilson says you’re not alone. For years, Wilson herself grappled with disillusionment and hopelessness. In her search for answers, she wrote this book.
Drawing on years of research and conversations with philosophers, poets, energy futurists, climate scientists, leaders, and spiritualists, she takes readers on an intimate and enlightening journey.
This is far from an easy read, as Wilson confronts her readers with harsh truths, but she also offers a way to find light amid these dark and troubled times: “a way to live a meaningful, human life with agency amid what is going on. And one that can best carry us forward into our new era."
4. 'The Correspondent' by Virginia Evans
Meet Sybil Van Antwerp. She’s a saucy septuagenarian, a retired lawyer, a mom, a sister. Living alone, she spends her time quietly, reading and writing letters to various people. She writes to her brother, sister-in-law, children, former workmates, famous people, and one person whom she writes to often yet never sends the letter.
Sybil expects her world to go on as it always has. But when a letter from the past resurfaces, she’s compelled to revisit one of the most painful periods of her life. Moving, funny, and uplifting, "The Correspondent" reminds us that it's never too late to make peace with the past, embrace change, and discover that life can still hold unexpected surprises.
5. 'Tiny Beautiful Things' by Cheryl Strayed
Prepare your highlighter and sticky notes because you will need them when you read this book, which is brimming with quotes that strike a deep chord.
"Tiny Beautiful Things" is a collection of The Rumpus' Dear Sugar advice columns. Anonymous letters reveal the writers’ deepest pains, and Sugar (later revealed as Cheryl Strayed) offers raw, unfiltered advice.
But this isn’t your typical advice column. Strayed pours herself into each letter with fierce empathy, as though “pulling out her heart with her bare hands.” She approaches each problem from every angle, pulling out truths from deep within her soul to offer wisdom that is at once devastating, moving, powerful, and brutally honest.
6. 'The Secret Garden' by Frances Hodgson Burnett
"The Secret Garden" is a timeless classic that continues to captivate readers with its heartfelt story of transformation and renewal. It follows the life of Mary Lennox, a young orphan sent to live with her distant and reclusive uncle in a sprawling, gloomy manor. Spoiled, lonely, and ill-tempered, Mary has never truly known love — or how to give it.
Everything changes when she discovers a hidden garden that has been locked away for years. As she tends the neglected garden and watches it come back to life, something within her begins to blossom as well. Her newfound wonder and joy soon spread to those around her, proving that even the most wounded hearts can heal.
Filled with friendship, hope, and the restorative power of nature, "The Secret Garden" remains a beloved story for readers of all ages.
7. 'A Walk in the Wood: Meditations on Mindfulness with a Bear Named Pooh' by Joseph Parent
When life gets too noisy and overwhelming, pick up a book that serves as a peaceful retreat and invites you to stay present. This book allows you to take a walk in the woods with Winnie the Pooh, your gentle guide to the transformative practice of mindfulness.
Whether you're seeking peace of mind, a way to manage stress, or simply a moment of calm on a busy day, Pooh offers a simple yet profound answer: “Just two things to do to truly be Pooh — just be present and be kind.”
Released just in time for the long-beloved bear’s 100th anniversary, this sweet and charming book encourages you to slow down, pay attention, and fully embrace the world around you, one step at a time.
8. 'The Anthropocene Reviewed' by John Green
“To fall in love with the world is to look up at the night sky and feel your mind swim before the beauty and the distance of the stars.”
In "The Anthropocene Reviewed," bestselling author John Green turns his attention to the strange, beautiful, and heartbreaking experiences of being human. Based on his popular podcast of the same name, this collection of essays examines different aspects of life in the Anthropocene — the current geological age defined by humanity’s impact on the planet — and rates them on a five-star scale.
From the wonder of sunsets and the joy of laughter to the complexities of the internet, human connection, and our relationship with the natural world, Green finds meaning in the everyday and the extraordinary.
These essays explore grief, hope, love, and the fragile beauty of existence. When the world feels dreary, this book might help you wade through the darkness and see it in a little brighter, a little more hopeful way.