TWO British women who love books have started a business that offers reading lists to people with problems. Bibliotherapy, they call it.
Books have often been my therapy. There is perhaps no better illustration of this than that for the first 18 months after my transplant I almost disappeared into books. Reading involves stepping completely away from the self and into another world completely, one that knows nothing about you.
Amused, comforted and intrigued at the idea of bibliotherapy, I have come up with a list for those facing life-threatening illness. It’s not complete, or perfect, but here it is:
* Charlotte’s Web, EB White.
I know of no lovelier tribute to the power of friendship and trust; nor any gentler, more open-eyed view of death and its transcendence.
* To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee.
In which we learn that kindness and dignity need not involve surrender; and also that there is much in life that is unfair, but that need not erode our dignity.
* Sense & Sensibility, Jane Austen.
To learn that hiding feelings leads to heartbreak, but so does an excess of them, and, importantly, that friends want to help, and most easily give practical help. When they offer, we should accept.
* Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life, David Servan-Schreiber.
A book that gives lots of practical advice the implementation of which made me feel I had regained power and agency. Servan-Schreiber does this without ignoring the emotional. I read it three times and got something new each time.
* The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkein.
Another book that shows the power of friendship, loyalty and love, and one that shows that the battle against evil is always worthwhile, no matter how the odds are stacked.
* The 100-Year-Old-Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, Jonas Jonasson.
Because we need to know it is OK to make it up as we go along.
* The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
This whimsical and insightful tale shows the beauty of existence and of the world; and — importantly — the necessity to tend to our loved ones and just what it is that makes a loved one unique to us.
* Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner, AA Milne.
Not only do we get giggles, we get wonderful insight into what is truly important: friendship and complete acceptance.
Here is a link to the article on bibliotherapy http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/can-reading-make-you-happier
Delivered. 