Booking Through Thursday

The reverse of last week’s question:
Imagine that everything is going just swimmingly. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and all’s right with the world. You’re practically bouncing from health and have money in your pocket. The kids are playing and laughing, the puppy is chewing in the cutest possible manner on an officially-sanctioned chew toy, and in between moments of laughter for pure joy, you pick up a book to read .
What is it?

Although last week's question discouraged us from answering "the Bible," I have to say that I do, indeed, turn to my Bible and other devotional books in times of trouble. I also pull out my Pennypress magazine of puzzles (one magazine lasts months!). Those puzzle magazines saw me through a lot of difficult times. But I enjoy pen and paper puzzles so much that I like to do them when things are going well, too. I also get my Bible and devotional books when things are bright and happy.

But as for fiction...let me see. For dark times, I would start with Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, at least until I became so irritated with Mr. March, as I always do, that I packed the book off for donation. After that I would choose anything by Shakespeare. The glorious language is enough to get lost in and to love every minute of it. A favorite? MacBeth. I enjoy that play on many levels. For both good and bad times I might also choose poetry by John Donne or humor by S.J. Perelman or Robert Benchley. One last choice: Alexander Woollcott; although he tends toward purple in his prose, I still find myself enjoying the trips through his reviews and reminiscences.
(submitted by Moon Rani)