One of the reasons it’s so tough to live sanely these days is because we’re all constantly bombarded by an endless stream of media: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, regular TV, cable TV, email, regular mail, voicemail, etc.

The more media there is, the more trivial it all seems to become. The latest silly video being sent around may distract you for a few seconds, but will it make your life any richer? The same is true for channel surfing on TV, Facebook updates, celebrity tweets, and the vast majority of all modern media.

On the other hands, a great novel will provide you will countless hours of pleasure, and it’s the sort of pleasure that is enriching rather than degrading.

We found a few suggestions from our favorite fictional character Favela. To check them out, click here.