Yes, I am totally burnt out on witnessing such drastic variations in thought patterns on serious matters that like many of you, I am trying to limit my news and social media intake. Instead, I'm focusing on practicing various forms of self-care. Of course, most at-home activities began feeling monotonous months ago, but one that I haven't burnt out on (yet) is reading books. So I'm going to leave you with a list of my favorite pandemic reads. The first (and only nonfiction) one is the book on millennial burnout I mentioned earlier, which grew out of a popular 2019 Buzzfeed article by the same author. It examines the systemic issues that have contributed to burnout, like the rise in both education costs and low-benefit, dead-end jobs, and had me nodding in agreement the whole way through. Here are my others (and if you're burnt out on reading, message me – I'm happy to share my pandemic movie and TV show list instead):

"The Institute," Stephen King: I picked this up after giving up on "The Stand," which as a novel about a deadly virus-induced apocalypse sounded like the perfect pandemic book, but lost my attention about 600 pages in. It's an easier-to-digest read about children with psychic or telekinetic abilities who are kidnapped and used for their talents, and their efforts to escape.
"Station Eleven," Emily St. John Mandel: Of all the dystopian fiction books I read this year, this was by far my favorite. It gives you a sense of what it would feel like to watch society collapse following a pandemic far worse than the one we're currently experiencing, and what it might take to preserve the arts.
"Baby Teeth," Zoje Stage: About a mother struggling to parent her mute daughter whose main goal is to torture her, this book starts out as a thriller but turns into a realistic and heartbreaking look at mental illness.
"Little Eyes," Samanta Schweblin: In this novel told from multiple points of view, people on different continents are connected by "kentukis," mechanical stuffed animals with cameras for eyes. It makes you think hard about the role technology plays in our private lives.
"The Silent Patient," Alex Michaelides: This is a must-read for any psychological thriller fan about a murder, a therapist and his patient, and concludes with a major unexpected twist.
"My Year of Rest and Relaxation," Ottessa Moshfegh: While this book's plot line isn't exactly uplifting (a troubled young woman in Manhattan attempts to sleep through the year leading up to 9/11 by abusing prescription pills), the writing is entertaining and hysterical. It'll also make you feel better about all the time you've wasted sitting at home this year.
"Luster," Raven Leilani: Another virtual book club pick of mine, this taboo tale examines class and race as it follows a young Black woman in Manhattan who gets involved with an older white man in an open marriage.
"The Whisper Man," Alex North: I read this creepy serial-killer novel in the weeks leading up to Halloween, but I suppose it would have been fitting any time this year. When life is at its scariest, getting lost in a story that's much scarier somehow makes the real world a bit more bearable.

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Beating Burnout With Books

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