Book of Wisdom

Today's review is of an underappreciated, little-known Classic work of literature, which should be owned and cherished by all people, who, by owning it, would be able to Lift the Spirits of one and all by regularly reading said Tome, the general effect of such reading being the Development of a Proper Perspective on life.  Said book, moreover, begins to solve the question left unanswered in the preceding post:  Should one be an optimist or a pessimist?  Imagine that human nature was malleable.  Would it be better to create a pessimistic or optimistic outlook on life?  The pessimistic outlook has the Virtue of being Accurate, but the Optimistic outlook has the Virtue of inducing a general sense of happiness (well, until the inevitable disappointment comes, says the pessimist (which need not come, says the optimist (but it will, says the pessimist))).

The book in question has brought a cheerful end to many of my most miserable days.  Not long ago, having had one such day, I pulled out said volume, read it, and was instantly reminded that there was no need to be so miserable.  It works every time.

Now one would think that a masterpiece guaranteed to end the feeling of Woe which overcomes one after a most unfortunate event would be more widely known and appreciated.  Indeed, one would assume that every reader of these words is now thinking of this exact book.  But, for reasons I cannot understand, the book is not as widely known and loved as I would think.  It has won far too few literary awards and has never been included on a list of the Best Books of All Time or even the Best books of the 20th century or even the Best books of the 1970s or even, sad to say, the Best Books of 1972. It did win, according to Wikipedia (that font of all knowledge) a few awards of which I have never heard.  It did not win the Nobel Prize for Literature--nor did it win the Noble Prize for Peace, which if the book were better known, it undoubtedly would have won.

And, so, I would like to take this opportunity to offer high praise to this marvelous book, to recommend that all Right-thinking People acquire a copy and keep it handy for Days which induce feelings other than bliss.

The book:

Judith Viorst, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

In this book, we read about Alexander's day and we realize two things:
1) My day wasn't that bad
2) Sometimes, days are just bad, and so you might as well just go to bed.

Never has so much wisdom been packed into so few pages.