Resilience in Reading byFranco Vitella You did it! You made it to the final stretch of 2020. Whatever suffering you endured this year, you made it though with resiliency, patience, and hopefully, a dose of kindness toward your fellow humans. Together we will see this through, but if you need a word of encouragement, some of these books (available at your local branch of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library) might help you dig deep and be resilient in the face of it all. True Grit by Charles Portis Charles Portis’ 1969 western novel has something for everybody: strong female narrator Mattie Ross, the no-good outlaw on the run Tom Chaney, and the timelessly memorable Rooster Cogburn. It is an adventure novel, a tale of retribution, and a rag-tag group of characters that unite under a common goal despite their very different motivations. If ever a novel existed that could bridge the gaps of divisiveness in the current state of everything and give us the lift of resilience we all need, it’s True Grit. Don’t Tell Me to Relax: Emotional Resilience in the Age of Rage, Feels, and Freak-Outs by Ralph de la Rosa So, uh, who’s stressed out? Psychotherapist Ralph de la Rosa offers a dose of resilience for the times when mindfulness and other practices can’t get you out your rut, combining aspects of neuroscience, biology, spirituality, and more – all are probably better ways to deal with emotion than rage eating a pint of ice cream… which I will admit I have done a few times lately. Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing Sometimes when I assess my feelings about the pandemic I begin to think about how I am fortunate to be in a position to do something for others, like supporting local businesses, donating money to organizations doing good, or volunteering my time to an important cause. It may not be much, but anything you can do to make life better for somebody else is worthwhile, and in many ways, is an act of resiliency. At the same time, it can be comforting to think about how you’re not trapped on an ice-bound ship on an Antarctic expedition, which Endurance recounts. This book is a model of resourcefulness, improvisation, preparedness, and how sometimes resiliency can be conjured up from the worst of circumstances. Dear Life by Rachel Clarke Palliative care doctor Rachel Clarke’s Dear Life sheds light on the world of hospice care, where many lives end. Because we so often deny death – especially our own – it’s easy to fall into the trappings that resiliency matters only in situations when we will continue to live, or how at some point, even the most resilient will not be able to overcome life’s only certainty. Clarke’s book serves as a stark and clear memento mori, reminding us that sometimes just being alive is the only resilience you need. Although all Library locations are currently closed to walk-in traffic during the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department stay-at-home advisory, we are maintaining our regular open hours and have many ways to help you: Activities to Go: Visit any location for contactless pick up of the latest set of Activities to Go. Each envelope has directions and supplies for fun activities at home for preschoolers, kids ages 5 – 10, or teens. Book Bundles: We’ll put together a Book Bundle for children, teens and adults. Choose a category or let us surprise you. Complete a request form or call any location. Computer use by appointment: Call 419-2595200 or any location to schedule one hour of computer time. Customers age 2 and older are required to wear masks. If you have a medical exemption we ask that you make a computer reservation at one of our locations with an accommodation space. Accommodation spaces are available at Heatherdowns, Kent, Main, Mott, Oregon, Reynolds Corners, Sanger, Sylvania, and West Toledo. Connecting Kids to Meals grab and go meal distribution will continue at locations currently offering this service. eMedia: Download books, audiobooks, magazines, music, and videos to play on your devices. Need help getting started with eMedia? Call us at 419.259.5200 or try our online chat! Grab & Go pick up: Just request books in the catalog or by phone from any location. When you are notified the materials have arrived, Page 7
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