Four Novels that Foster an Attitude of Gratitude
With the lighthearted hoopla of October in the rearview, we begin to look forward to what November has in store for us.
A time to count our blessings.
A time to name the things for which we are thankful.
A time to reflect.
A time to come together.
A time to savor the sweetness of family, of community.
A Time of Thanksgiving.
If you're struggling to capture those thoughts & enjoy their perspective, here are Four Novels that Foster an Attitude of Gratitude.
1. Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
Considered the second book in an unofficial Little Women trilogy by Louisa May Alcott, Little Men follows hard on the heels of Little Women. In addition to reprising the beloved character of Jo (& her husband, Fritz) from the original, Little Men introduces Jo's students at the boarding school she and Fritz founded at Aunt March's Plumfield estate at the end of Little Women. If you have a hankering to go home for the holidays in the way Alcott brought it in Little Women, then Little Men should rank first in your list of November novels.
2. The Thanksgiving Visitor by Truman Capote
Spending the entirety of my childhood in Alabama, I was elated to discover a collection of Truman Capote's holiday short stories last year - the year we all yearned to experience some warm, cozy feelings of home and the goodness of yesteryear. Capote packed that and so much more into A Christmas Memory, including my personal favorite, "The Thanksgiving Visitor." Spend the holidays with Buddy and his family in a truly unique way, including a keepsake novel treasure from the characters in the novel, by clicking here.
3. Now in November by Josephine Winslow Johnson
If you are a fan of Kristin Hannah's The Four Winds, you owe it to yourself to check out this Josephine Johnson novel set in the same time period. Written during the Dust Bowl & the Great Depression, Johnson's novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 1935, and for good reason. The setting, the characters, the struggle, the tension...If you're struggling for something to turn your attitude into gratitude, Now in November is for you.
4. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Go West with the Joad family and allow their experiences to inform your perspective this Thanksgiving season. In my opinion, The Grapes of Wrath is one of the greatest novels ever written, especially for those struggling to see the the forest for the trees. If you need help seeing the big picture this Thanksgiving holiday, Steinbeck's 1940 Pulitzer Prize winner is your one-two punch of perspective. It is impossible to read this book and not count your blessings.
I have read Little Men and The Grapes of Wrath mentioned above and I’m looking forward to reading Truman’s The Thanksgiving Visitor, having also grown up in Alabama and loving the family celebrations and meals around holidays, birthdays, and Sunday dinners after church! My suggestions to read to add to books which will not only foster an attitude of gratitude but also made me feel like the richest person in the world, are both by Irish author Frank McCourt: Angela’s Ashes and ‘Tis. Read them with a box of tissues close to hand; finish them with a sense of gratitude and triumph and love of family.