Hi all,

I’m holding day 18 here b”h, and I feel like I’m starting to slip.
its from something that I’ve been struggling with lately. 
I love to read, I don’t like Jewish books tho, maybe there are some good ones.
i kinda like reading books that are like action packed, and mystery crime kinda stuff.

but the issue is the goyishe velts standard of what considered not explicit is way beneath what i strive for.

so i get stuck in a pickle.
i love reading, its a really good pastime, it helps me cope with stress and all in all i think its a healthy hobby, but some of these books just have parts that are not clean.
those parts are exciting. And im nervous it will lead to worse.

any one struggling with this to?

and im not planning on dropping reading.
i just need help finding good books that are clean.

@Youknowho
@redface
@chaimoigen 
Can you think of any good book written for children by someone in London, about some fantasy world, packed with drama and intrigue, a story about love being stronger than hate, a story of loss and family, values and truth, pretty kosher, do you have any recommendations? 

menchu660 wrote on 23 May 2025 00:56:

Totally relate to this.

I'm not sure if any book that actually has women in it will ever really be "clean" for me since the part of me that lusts could find erotic meaning in a shoelace.

But then again, avoidance is often not the answer.

So, let me know if you figure this one out. Thanks for sharing!

chancyhk wrote on 23 May 2025 12:36:

Yes, I highly recommend that book. It's also highly educational, that's where I learnt what it means when I get a "lurch in my stomach".  ("and he felt a slight lurch in the region of his stomach that he didn’t think had anything to do with nerves.")

There’s a website called Common Sense Media that tells you details and level of inappropriate content in books (or movies) so you can know what you’re getting yourself into. It’s a powerful tool. 

I have an idea! Your thread becomes the GYE Clean Book thread! You've tapped into the treasure house of people (some unknown percentage of GYE users) who also really like reading novels! Maybe post recommendations from clean books you've read and the oilam can suggest or post recent good books that they've read!

Crime isn't really my thing but if you're willing to go into Fantasy...

One of my all-time favorites is Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell by Susanna Clarke. Completely clean to my recollection...

For crime...is the original Shelock Holmes too old school? There are some really good stories.

Also, on the children's shelf some books that could appeal to adults...Bridge to Terebithia, The Giver, Hatchet, A Separate Peace...

And even some of the classics like King Solomon's Mines or...Lord of the Rings! LORD OF THE RINGS! The book Harry Potter aspires to be

And if you're willing to foray into non-fiction/social-commentary/self-help...

Building a Loving Relationship is a really good read (was in some supermarkets at some point)
The Anxious Generation
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson...the part where he matir'd for himself to escargot in Japan really stuck with me for some reason

Explore!

hechochma wrote on 23 May 2025 14:04:

Dammit, I'm feeling triggered now

I identify with the problem. Unfortunately, what's been working for me is not reading so I don't really have a solution. What's I found interesting is that reading became an escape style activity which was far more harmful than the actual content (Posture of Pornography hmmm?). This is a longer shmooz though.

The limited reading I do recently is just business/psychology/finance books in the bathroom, those are generally pretty clean. Occasionally I even learn something useful although it's hard to find the ones that are worth reading among all the chaff. Other options - a lot of classics are relatively clean. Think Dickens, Shakespeare, Benjamin Franklin's autobiography. If you dig hard you may even find a couple that are enjoyable. Poetry. History. 

Oh wait, one crime recommendation. One of my all-time favorite writers is pretty clean (to the best of my recollection): Mick Herron, Slough House. 10/10 recommend the writing, I'm not responsible if it triggers you though
A lot of classic cozy/detective mysteries are clean - Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, Dorothy Sayers etc.

Hey. I’m a big reader and I definitely identify with this problem. In the past few months I’ve been able to ween off the unclean books bh and I would say I have a bunch of great book recommendations. Jewish and non Jewish.

I just need someone to define what clean means. I think it would make sense to separate it into 2 levels and work with that.

How about: E (for everyone. Completely clean. You would let your 10 year old read it)

PG (Rarely includes love but when it does it talks about it in a clean unlustlful way. Would let your 13 year old read it)

I think higher levels than this would just get messy.

Does this make sense? If the oilam thinks this is good I’ll post a few things.

helperfromheaven18 wrote on 26 May 2025 14:40:

By the power invested me in me by absolutely nobody I approve!