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One of the most beautiful things about literature is how we find ourselves in books
Even in “normal” times when we aren’t dealing with pandemics and large-scale unrest, 40% of adults report
When I was 16, I gave in to that nagging little voice in the back of my mind
I gathered all the pills I could find, finished my homework, swallowed the pills, and went to
I’m successful by conventional standards, with a loving spouse and a job I enjoy
I have a wonderful community of both genetic and found family members
Nonetheless, there are still times when there’s a whisper in the back of my mind
When you try to talk to people about that feeling, they often get understandably upset
The little voice at the back of your mind whispers that there is something profoundly wrong with
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To be clear, I have been in therapy for a long time, have found medications that help,
Additionally, it has helped me to discover like-minded folks in literature
Inspired by the play title for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf,
I hope that the books on this list might help someone like me feel less alone and
She’s fired from a dead-end job, estranged from her family, distant from friends, and nursing a
After an attempt to take her own life, Nora wakes up in a massive library
Each book is a life where her decisions led her down different paths
Ultimately, Nora’s story is touching, inspiring, and surprisingly funny
Veronika, though seemingly living a perfect life, decides to end it
Unfortunately, the doctors tell her that she only has a few days to live because the suicide
Told from their alternating viewpoints, All the Bright Places is the story of Finch and Violet
The pair meet atop the school’s bell tower, which they each consider jumping from
Instead, they embark on an adventure, exploring Indiana and learning to love life again
Though this book’s protagonist doesn’t survive or contemplate suicide, this beautiful story of grief still
She travels to Taiwan to meet her grandparents and search for her mother the bird
The author explores the guilt survivor’s experience in a tale full of love and despair, magic
Craig Gilner is ambitious and determined, traits which help him get into a prestigious high school
After nearly killing himself, he ends up in a psychiatric institution
I used to frequently watch the movie adaptation, starring Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie
It’s a fascinating story of the author’s own experience with depression and suicide attempts
She’s admitted to a psychiatric hospital, where she meets a group of women who are both
When mean girl and queen bee Liz Emerson attempts suicide by driving her car into a tree,
I love the trope of an angry curmudgeon being won over despite their best efforts
This story uses that to great effect, introducing us to Ove, a grumpy old man who has
After he loses his wife, Ove decides to join her by taking his own life
It’s a truly beautiful story with an elegantly crafted full circle plot