Some say the world will end in fire. . .
Title: Comet In Moominland by Tove Jansson
Plot: Moomintroll and his friends try and figure out what to do when a comet threatens Moominland.
Good For: Anxiety, Forebodings, Feeling of Impending Doom, Hopelessness, Weltschmerz
Ever have that feeling that things are gonna get much, much worse? Ever walk around with that feeling like a load of bricks on your shoulders? For doom and gloom, nothing beats cute little beasts trying to prevent an apocalypse.
Tove Jansson’s books are a balm for all things, but especially for the anxieties of everyday life. It’s a book of creature comforts mixed with adventures, even when the worst seems likely to happen. In Comet In Moominland it’s the End Times, a comet is blazing through space towards Earth. So, maybe they should do something about that? Yes. But they probably still have time for a picnic lunch and a swim in the sea.
And without ruining things, I’ll just say that no small beasts are harmed in this book. So, you can read without adding their anxieties to your own. The funny thing about the book, and about many of our worries, is the Moomins can’t really do anything about the comet. It’s a cosmic phenomenon that’s entirely outside their control. But that doesn’t stop them from trying, and having fun along the way.
Now, this prescription is a little bit different, because for it to work you need to read the book aloud at night to a loved one, with a plate full of steaming pancakes topped with strawberry jam. If you don’t have strawberry, any jam will do, but omitting the jam is not advisable. Follow this to the letter, or until stuffed and weary of pancakes and you’ll feel better. Assuming there’s still a planet for you feel better on, that is.
