1 . My earliest reading memory takes me back to being five years old, sitting in my grandfather’s cozy study. He would read to me from his French-translated copy of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. I was so familiar with the stories that I could correct him word-for-word if he tried to change something.

Growing up, my favorite book was Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes. It was a treasure for an imaginative and lonely child like me. The book was filled with magical elements: a magical carousel, monsters, and the charming scent of autumn leaves lying in the sun. The language was as crisp and sweet as an October apple, awakening in me a deep passion for words and the magic they could bring out. I’ve reread it regularly and it never fails to satisfy me.

In my adult years, I revisited Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. When I first read it at 16, I perceived it as a love story. However, rereading it as an adult, I was struck by how different it seemed to me, and how much of the humour I’d missed. Now I love its poetry. And the love story not only exists between the characters but between Brontë and the North York Moors.

James Joyce’s Ulysses was a book I came back to after 40 years. Initially, at 15, I found it ugly, depressing, and dull, and I hated it. It took me four decades to return to it, and this time, I found myself understanding and beginning to appreciate it. I could see the details, the mythic parallels, the references to different writing styles, and the groundbreaking technique.

Though some exceptional books can develop and grow alongside us, others fall by the wayside. I’ve revisited so many childhood favourites only to find the magic gone, but I’m usually happy to leave the book behind. I’ve taken from it what I need.

2 . Many footballers struggle when they leave the beautiful game for retirement in their mid-thirties, with stories that are sad or even terrible. However, in his new book Kicking On! Tony Rickson reveals the footballers who have achieved success after retirement, whether it’s by setting up charities, helping others cope, creating multi-million-pound businesses or going into media, politics or back into the football world.

Tony Adams, a former footballer, set up a charitable foundation more than 20 years ago called Sporting Chance and said it’s one of his greatest achievements. He’s wrong. Despite all the cups he won while captaining Arsenal during a highly successful 22-year career at his only club, and all the times he played for England, it is his greatest achievement. Not just one of them.

As Adams admits in his memorable book, Addicted, he suffered from alcoholism and drug abuse while still a professional footballer. Setting up Sporting Chance was his response, and ever since it’s treated and supported sports professionals suffering from drink or drug problems. The charity’s offer is: “We understand that it takes courage to ask for help, either during or following a career in sport, so when you’re ready to reach out, we’re ready for you.”

Since retiring from playing in 2002, Adams, who has a statue in his honor outside the Arsenal ground, has managed and coached in several countries alongside his charity work. He told The Sun: “What happened in my life with alcohol makes me feel so sad but also grateful that I found a way out of it. I’ve had highs and lows, in and out of football, given up playing and gone into coaching and management. I’ve not had a drink through any of it. My self-esteem (自尊) has come back and I am all right.”

The self-assessment as “all right” also applied to his 2022 appearance in TV’s Strictly Come Dancing, when Adams showed an admirable ability to laugh at himself.

3 . It’s no secret that reading good news feels a lot better than reading bad news. Like, would you rather bite into a lemon, or sip on a fresh glass of lemonade?

    1    The world is full of problems and conflicts and we need to stay informed and alert (警觉的) to what’s going on around us. While reading traditional, more negative news is important, consuming good news is also part of staying informed.     2    And it also brings meaningful benefits, like reduced stress and anxiety, higher rates of engagement, community building skills, and inspiration for creating a better world. Plus, knowing what to look for in the good news landscape is a key part of improving our media literacy skills and being thoughtful news consumers.

In fact, good news, known as solutions journalism, is becoming more popular, as publishers and news stations discover the benefits of sharing positive stories. Good Good Good is one of them.     3     A team of reporters and editors there work daily to deliver stories that make readers feel hopeful and equipped to do more good with possible solutions.

“If it bleeds, it leads.” has long been a saying used in the media to describe how news stories about violence, death and destruction draw readers’ attention.       4     The thing is, however, there’s also good stuff out there—the delightful and kind parts of humanity. “Beautiful stories are happening worldwide.    5    When you do find them, the world can suddenly feel like a very different place. Good news is a vital part of how we learn about the world and solving the world’s problems.” Hervey, one of Good Good Good’s editors said.

7 . The Best Books of the Year

Poverty by Matthew Desmond

Hardcover: $14.8

Paperback: $6.5

“In his powerful book, Matthew Desmond exposes the realities of inequality in the world. His writing takes readers on a journey through the lives of those struggling to make ends meet. Desmond’s book is a powerful call to action, urging readers to demand change and work towards a more just and fair society. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the root causes of inequality and the urgent need for transformative solutions.” — Lindsay Powers

King: A Life by Jonathan Eig   

Hardcover: $15.5

Paperback: $7.2

“Eig’s book dives into the life and times of Martin Luther King Jr., providing an in-depth and comprehensive account. This book offers deep insights into the life of one of the most influential figures in American history, revealing the hardships and heroics of a man who changed the world.” — Al Woodworth

The Wager by David Grann

Hardcover: $18.5

Paperback: $5.4

“This true story is a thrilling read that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. It is a story of human ambition, greed, and the continuous pursuit of adventure, all set against the backdrop of the vast and unforgiving ocean. Journey into a world of adventures, where fortunes are made and lost, and lives hang in the balance. Witness pursuits of power and wealth. Experience the dangers and uncertainties of life on the high seas, where anything can happen and no one is safe.” — Al Woodworth

Happy Place by Emily Henry

Hardcover: $17.6

Paperback: $4.5

“Emily Henry’s latest has all the feels! More than your standard second-chance romance, Happy Place is about the beauty, pain, and joy that come with biological families, chosen families, growing up and apart, and how — as adults — we deal with this thing called life.” — Kami Tei