1. Good Books Can Help Improve Your Mood
I firmly believe that good books have the magic of making people feel dancing; therefore, if I feel depressed and dispirited, I always read my favorite books in order to cheer my spirit up, improve my mood, and embolden me keep moving forward. As a matter of fact, this magic has never failed me – I am extremely happy and motivated after reading my favorite books. This is because good books have the power to speak to your heart and inspire you to face the music with a strong determination.
I described in Liberation: Seeking the Meaning of Life how I always find refuge in my favorite books when things do not go well, when I feel lonely, and when I cannot see any hope in the future – so that I can be encouraged and enlightened to help improving my mood:
Whenever phobia assaults my hearts, I find refuge in my favorite authors who give me direction and hope. In addition, they make me understand that I am not alone in having such sufferings in my own country, they make me understand that I am not alone in having such sufferings in my own country, but they had been through the same experiences and overcame them! When unbearable loneliness invades into my heart, I always read Hamsun, Miller, and Hesse. They have become my only friends in Japan, and their books have become my bibles. They speak to my heart, give me strength to keep on my head up, and make me feel that I am not alone. “You have no time being maudlin, mister! You are obliged to read books to improve yourself every single hour that you are available” I reproach myself. Maybe, this time I’ll find a perfect solution in books,” I nod and say aloud, “This is it!” while snapping my fingers. The idea of finding the perfect solution in books cheers my spirit up, and I decide to take a train to go home as quickly as possible, as though my every problem would solve itself just by the act of opening my favorite books.
It is important for you to meet books which has the power to help improve your mood miraculously every time you read them. You can find such impressive books if you really want to improve your mood to unlock the courage to chase after your dreams relentlessly. I am lucky enough to meet such enchanting books in my seeking, and one of them is The Smile at the Foot of Ladder by Henry Miller. In fact, this book still has the power to make me dance around the room. I depicted in Dance to Dream: Making the Right Choice (newly published on July 15, 2023) how I feel every time I lay my eyes on this book:
I sit on a chair, inhale the fresh morning air, sip coffee, light a cigarette, and puff in the air peacefully. I open The Smile at the Foot of Ladder, which I have reread countless times. I believe that this is the only book that Henry Miller ever wrote other than himself. As a matter of fact, this book is extremely thin, with only 56 pages; however, it has tremendously impacted me and touched my heart deeply ever since I laid my eyes on it. As soon as I begin reading it, the magic of mystery overwhelms me, and I am helplessly engrossed in Miller’s beauty of language. As I reach my favorite passage of the book, it still has the power to make me shiver to the core of my being.
In short, good books certainly have the power to help improve your mood. You just need to start finding books that have the magic of improving your mood and encouraging you to be who you truly are. Maybe you can find the magic and inspiration in my trilogy: Song of Friendship. Who knows?
2. Find Your Favorite Writers Who Resonate with Your Beliefs
I have madly worshiped Knut Hamsun, Hermann Hesse, and Henry Miller. And Knut Hamsun is the one who I revere the most. I always want to write like Hamsun, which is always in my mind. I have read a great deal of books in my life and passionately admired several writers, but Hamsun is the most on whom I have gotten influenced. I have never read such a beautiful writer like him. Even I went further to study his books line by line so that I could hopefully find a magic of his writing.
Isaac Bashevis Singer expressed his admiration, “The whole modern of fiction in the twentieth century stems from Hamsun. They were all Hamsun’s disciplines: Thomas Mann and Arthur Schnitzier… and even such American writers as Fitzgerald and Hemingway.” I should add here that Herman Hess was his discipline as well. And on top of it all, Henry Miller was the most fervent discipline of Hamsun.
The very first time my eyes laid on Pan, I was astonished at Hamsun’s elegant peptic style, which contains a harmony found only in the highest types of poetry. I was entirely captivated by his beautiful world and read it four times in a row. Truth to be told, I have still re-read Hamsun’s books to improve myself. If you never read his fantastic books, I strongly recommend you read one of his books to improve your mood and enjoy his enchanting world.
My admiration for my favorite writers is phenomenal. I have forever been a champion of Hamsun, Hesse, and Miller. I can tolerate if someone hurl insults at me but not my idols. If someone happen to hurl insult at my idols in front of my presence, I will fly into a rage to defend them as aggressive as a world heavy boxing champion. As a matter of fact, I wrote the episode in Mexican Rhapsody: Having a Second Chance how I resolutely defend one of my heroes when my English professor gave a sloppy remark about Henry Miller:
Her parting words outraged me. It was oaky with me that she insulted me and failed me. As a matter of fact, I put up with this frivolous reality, notwithstanding I was nauseated by the preposterous education system to the hell. Still and all, I could not allow her to insult my hero. “Why did she insult Henry Miller?” I was talking to myself aloud while waiting for an elevator. I could allow her to insult me as much as she wished but never my hero. I decided to decline her proposal flatly and made up my mind to have a straight talk with the principal.
I hope that you can find your favorite writers who you can passionately worship and admire. This is because if you can find them, their books will be your bibles. And every time you feel discouraged and disheartened, their books will help improve your mood and cheer hour sprit up to the heaven!
