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Bibliotherapy: The Magical Healing Quality of Literature “I’ve never known any trouble that an hour’s reading didn’t assuage”. The words of French philosopher Charles De Secondat and author of the controversial book ‘The Spirit of the Laws’ continue to resonate today. Its premise is bibliotherapy, which is the use of literature as therapy. Biblio is the Greek word for books and therapy stems from the Greek word therapeia which literally means ‘to help medically’.  The modern-day term ‘book therapy’ is often cited too, as is the word ‘bibliocounselling’, both describe the prescription of literature, as a form of art therapy, that...

When I came across Dr Kelda Green’s book, Rethinking Therapeutic Literature, I was fascinated — Dr Green had recently completed her PhD on the therapeutic aspects of literature and was sharing insights from her research. Her book was essentially a trim-down version of her PhD thesis and I wanted to know more. Particularly as her work aligns closely with Book Therapy’s mission: accessing the therapeutic benefits of literature. Dr Green was born and grew up in South London. She read English and French at The University of Liverpool, graduating in 2009. She went on to complete a Master’s degree in ‘Reading in...

Literature affords us, familiar friends, through the silent passage of words — it forges our connection with fictional and real-life characters recreating the experience of an authentic friendship — with friends who are almost more perfect than the ones in real life. Partly this is owed to the fact that we see the character as they are — there’s a level of intimacy experienced that often feels grander than that with a close family member or friend due to the open and transparent nature of the narrative and the fact that we have uninterrupted access into the mind and emotions of the characters. Photo by Florencia...

"Discover the life-changing magic of books. Books, stories, literature connect us to others. They help us connect the dots in our own stories and ultimately hold mirrors up so that we can truly see ourselves and be understood." Bijal Shah, Book Therapy Get Started   As Seen In   Hi! I'm Bijal, a book curator and bibliotherapist. I'm also a freelance journalist, a writer, a poet, a counsellor, a publisher and a voracious reader.  I've spent half my life in libraries and bookstores. My book recommendations have featured in the Guardian, Marie Claire, NBC News, Asian Voice and various other publications. My personalised reading service is unique and intended to save...

.   Born a Jain, I've always hoped for a children's book on the beautiful philosophy that's over 2000 years old.  Jain, a word derived from the Sanskrit word 'Jina' describes the path of enlightenment and salvation over successive re-births by removing karma and embracing an ethical and spiritual existence.  It also prescribes non-violence to living creatures, including plants. It's peaceful nature and compassionate and thoughtful way of life are wholesome life lessons for any child. A month ago, on the auspicious Jain occasion of Mahavir Jayanti, authors Nirav Gudka and Sunita Shah of The Jai Jais published "Mahavir", the story of the 24th Jain Tirthankar Lord Mahavir,  an...