A reader of The Paris Review asks for recommendations to him through depression: “books that will show me why to live and how, and books that will allow me to escape my present torture. Both need to be pretty easy to follow.” This post suggests many titles, and blog reader recommend many more. I don’t know if any of the readers recommend the Bible (Oh, I see someone does), but I think the poetry suggestion is very good: old sonnets, Wordsworth (even his silly stuff), Robert Frost, Billy Collins. I also wonder if painting, cooking, or gardening would help this person.