When the Going Gets Weird?

Summary

Roz Warren discusses the comfort and escapism found in re-reading a favorite book during a stressful time, specifically while traveling across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

In an essay by Roz Warren, she recounts her recent experience of flying to California amidst the pandemic, a trip that filled her with anxiety due to her high-risk age for COVID-19. Amidst the chaos and fear, she found solace in an old favorite, Richard Russo's comic novel Straight Man. Despite the impracticality of carrying a hardcover book, she emphasizes the therapeutic value of immersing oneself in a familiar narrative. The act of re-reading transported her from the tense environment of the airplane to the humorous and intellectually stimulating world of academia depicted in the novel. Warren posits that during these unprecedented and challenging times, the familiarity of a beloved book can be a powerful tool for emotional respite and encourages readers to seek comfort in their own favorite reads.

Opinions

Warren believes that a familiar book can provide a temporary escape from reality, offering comfort during stressful experiences.
She considers Straight Man by Richard Russo to be a perfect example of a book that can offer both intelligence and humor, qualities she values in reading material and friendships.
Despite potential risks and the need to pack light, Warren suggests that the emotional benefits of bringing a favorite book during travel outweigh the inconveniences.
Warren implies that literature can be a form of self-care, capable of easing anxiety during the pandemic.
She hints at the importance of personal rituals, like reading, in maintaining normalcy and providing stability in uncertain times.
Warren uses her personal story to remind readers of the power of literature to heal and comfort, advocating for the re-reading of favorite books as a coping mechanism.

Re-read Your Favorite Book

What? Me Worry? (Airport Selfie of the author on the way to California.)

The world has turned really weird, and we’re each living in our own particular version of that.

My own weird reality is that I was suddenly called upon to drop everything and fly to California.

At 65, I am in a high risk Covid category. The thought of flying across the country in the middle of a pandemic terrified me. But it was something I had to do.

I quickly threw the bare essentials into a suitcase. Clothing. A toothbrush. Cash. My meds. Extra reading glasses. A couple of pounds of Starbucks French Roast coffee.

And? At the last minute, I decided to bring along a copy of Straight Man by Richard Russo.

Straight Man, a comic novel about academia, is my favorite book. It’s smart and funny, my two basic requirements for a good read. (And, for that matter, for a good friend.)

I’ve re-read it half a dozen times. And I was packing light. Did it make any sense to schlep a hardcover across the country? One that I’d already read?

As it turns out? Yes.

Sitting on the plane, apprehensive about catching Covid, surrounded by people who were also apprehensive about catching Covid, reading that book took me right out of my reality.

I wasn’t sitting on the edge of my airplane seat, terrified that I could catch Covid from an air vent or an armrest. I was in a college town in rural Pennsylvania, enjoying the company of the smartass narrator.

And that’s the blessing of a good read. When you’re absorbed in a book, you’ve left reality behind. You are in that book.

Did escaping into the world Richard Russo had created help get me through that dicey experience?

You bet it did.

We’re all going to need a lot to get us through these challenging times. I’m here to remind you that a reliable read can help.

When the going gets weird and you really need a break? Try hiding out in your favorite book.

When the Going Gets Weird?

Re-read Your Favorite Book

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