The sky will not stop sobbing. When Zeus thunders, my dog Charlie follows suit, bursting into aggressive high pitched barks.

Candles are lit and soft jazzy tunes play in the background. I am giving it all I have got to remain happy and optimistic on day 4 of unabated downpour after downpour after downpour. Gloom is beginning to penetrate and debilitate. I must tackle it!

So… I am thinking about some delicious cookies or maybe a coffee table book of gorgeous interiors, the scent of bread baking… all those feel good contrivances that will trigger the happy chip, the cozy chip, the I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but here chip.

A little while later with the bread machine doing its thing and a tray of freshly baked almond and chocolate biscotti waiting for me and my coffee, I head to my favorite comfy perch in the house with a newly gifted read to crack open and disappear into for a few hours of respite.

My book is Ethan Hawke’s A Bright Ray of Darkness. Within its pages I relocate to New York, inhabit the back-stages of theaters, and meet a varied and layered set of characters. Relationships of every sort are frankly and honestly picked apart and analyzed in this book (marriage, friendship, familial, business, sexual).

What makes it such an engrossing and true read is the author’s deep introspection and observant eye. He artfully illustrates how the truth, in reality, can at times be both heartbreaking and hilarious, casual and meaningful due to the fact that so too are people an ensemble of juxtaposed, characteristics, beliefs and experiences.

The dialogues between the protagonist and his kids, friends, fellow actors etc… are intelligent and eye opening. Forget about finding any clichés or stereotypes here.

I don’t want to leave New York’s theater district or all the people I’ve met as I approach the end.

While standing backstage amidst the costumes and nervous mayhem of the actors, or walking the streets in search of clarity, I’ve been able to leave the doom and gloom of my actual surroundings. As I shut the book I feel both sad and satisfied.

Amazing what a great read can do!