Welcome to Litsy!

A tough but remarkable read as the author plots the breakdown of a young woman, a teacher, who following an unexpected death has to confront her grief as well as past trauma. The writing in the 1st person is gut wrenching as she spirals into such low mood that she ends up in psychiatric units. Having just read her 2 brilliant memoirs, + listened to the author on podcasts I am not surprised by the brilliant writing.

Went backpacking to some hot springs this weekend and brought some thoroughly inscrutable poetry and a book about depression. Still lovely to read by a river ♥️

I was surprised at the number of books I managed this month as it feels like I was reading Murakami for most of it ;) Really enjoyed the Galloway and Michael Lewis.

#januaryroundup #january19

The Trick is to Keep Breathing is one of the most psychologically immersive novels I‘ve ever read. Galloway transports her reader right into the fragmented mind of her grieving, depressed protagonist (ironically named Joy). Galloway‘s novel is a relentless exploration of an unending quest to answer the question “what is the point?” in the face of life‘s immense cruelties. It is a very accomplished novel, but a difficult read. #indiebuddyreads

OH THIS 💔 #indiebuddyreads

Janice Galloway's writing is brilliant and so viscerally puts you in the mind of someone sinking into a deep depression that it is uncomfortable. It has turned out for me to be one of those novels where I can't actually decide if I liked it. I appreciate it, and I'm glad I read it, but I'm also very very glad to be out of Joy Stone's head. It is doubtlessly a truly affecting book, but I can't recommend it as a nice way to spend a weekend.

This was a heavy book to get through. The MC goes through a psychological break following the death of her lover. You experience her disjointed thoughts and desperation as she tries to get well again. I appreciated the writing and what the author tried to do here, but didn‘t enjoy it. You do feel as though you are wading through deep water right along with the MC. The ending redeemed the book for me somewhat, but this is so-so for me overall. 3⭐️

Pausing on Transit so I don‘t miss the first#indiebuddyreads for 2019

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I had some trepidation about this one going into it but it is well worth your time. It is probably the closest I have come in fiction to feeling like I was in the brain of a depressed and grief-stricken woman. Despite this it is also funny and very smart. Don‘t expect to completely understand it all on a first read, it takes some work.
A lost gem from the late 80s and a classic of Scottish literature.

#indiebuddyreads

If you have been following my sailing adventures, I am happy to report that I am back in the Caribbean for a few short months. Having arrived into Barbados after an easy 3 week crossing from the Canary Is, we have since visited St Lucia and Martinique. This shot is of the green flash I have been looking out for each day at sunset. I have caught it 4 times, it's pretty cool. Looking forward to catching up on Litsy.
#readingonroam
#liveonaboat

This is a first-person account of a woman‘s rapidly declining mental health, and it‘s a difficult, painful read. Really excellent writing, and I really liked how Joy‘s wit shines through the darkness at times. Not a feel-good book at all, but I‘m glad I read it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

#1001books

Sounds about right to me....

A moving story of the inner thoughts of a young woman suffering from depression after a severe loss. It‘s told through her own inner dialogue and journal entries. I found it quite moving and her analyzation of things not only a very good depiction of grief and depression, but some very on-point truisms about life.

The beginning reminded me a bit of Challenger Deep, but with a decidedly more adult voice & content as the story progressed.

“Good girls reap rewards”. Another great little tangent about being the “good girl”

Yes, because smiling will fix absolutely everything, well at least for everybody else who has to look at you.🙄 As for yourself, and your crushing heart-breaking sadness, just pretend it doesn‘t exist for our sakes...okay?🤯

The older I get, the more I realize smile-through-the-pain & fake-it-til-you-make-it, are all just hooey to make everyone else feel better, and all this masking of pain and sadness isn‘t helping anyone talk about depression.

Sadly this makes perfect sense to me, I think we‘ve all had teachers who were fabulous and engaging and those that we all knew were just going through the motions...and sadder still, that‘s not unusual... School was started as a way to teach children, but also as a way to get them ready for working life and the labor force.

I finished this book over a late lunch, and then I had to keep thinking about it a bit before reviewing. The language in many places is fantastic, but the story is so confusing and I want clearer answers at the end. Yet, that is not the point of the book. I gained a better understanding of this type of experience, and I can appreciate it for that. However, I did not personally relate or enjoy the reading.

#ReadandEat #1001books #1001Discoveries

I love my job as a teacher, but even so everyone has those days. This book is actually about the character‘s battle with depression and trying to figure out how to move forward, but there were a few sections about her job as a teacher that definitely caught my attention. When your own life is falling apart, I can see exactly how it could feel like this.

#1001books #1001Discoveries #TeachersofLitsy

I sat down to read a few pages of this with breakfast and then Dad called. So my book and breakfast post is a little late after running a few errands. I‘m about 50 pages in and I‘m not sure I‘m going to enjoy it. However, I also see this as the kind of book I‘m reading to experience something different from my own life, and therefore it may just be more about appreciation than enjoyment.

#1001books #1001Discoveries

The trick is to keep breathing is a Scottish classic detailing the breakdown of a young teacher, Joy Stone. The novel revolves around the theme of normality and what it takes to appear normal even when things are falling apart around you.

Galloway does not shy away or glamorise depression. Furthermore, there is a beautiful strength and hopefulness to the novel.

#depression #mentalhealth #recovery #hope #strength

I don't have room for the library I'd love so most of my physical books are bought because I #JudgedbytheCover. These are a few of my favorites. #MarchIntoReading