Reading These 5 Novels Will Actually Make You Happier
We're all familiar with the way a book can help us temporarily escape from reality (that's why we love brand-new reads so much, after all), but did you know that reading books can literally act as a form of therapy?
That's right: Reading therapy, a.k.a. bibliotherapy, is a growing psychological practice. According to bibliotherapist Susan Elderkin, however, reading therapy is far from a new concept. In fact, the ancient Greeks were known to have used it. But until quite recently, Elderkin says that bibliotherapy had only been implemented in special-case scenarios, such as when veterans returned from war or when kids exhibited behavioral issues.
In 2008, Elderkin and her partner Ella Berthoud began offering the first-ever bibliotherapy service at The School of Life in London. They were the first to suggest that fictional novels, rather than just self-help books, could act as a cure for any number of psychological problems (their book, The Novel Cure, will provide you with 751 stories that can help nearly all of 'em) - and we're so glad they did.
Beyond excited that reading is now proven to make us happier people, we turned to Elderkin and Berthoud to give us recommendations for five common feelings. Read them ASAP to de-stress or reduce feelings of anxiety. Doctor's orders.
If you're feeling pessimistic about the future ...
The Goldfinch
amazon.com
$12.67
When times are tough and optimism is hard to come by, Elderkin and Berthoud recommend this story of a boy who, at 13, survives an accident that kills his mother and moves in with the family of a friend. "It's hard to read The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt and not feel that maybe whatever obstacles you're facing aren't so difficult to overcome after all," Elderkin says. "Sometimes it really helps to see a character have to dig themselves out of a deeper hole than your own."
If you need to boost your self-confidence ...
A Kestrel for a Knave
amazon.com
$1.16
To help a patient work on increasing his or her self-esteem, Elderkin and Berthoud often prescribe A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines. "It's about a boy from a run-down mining town who tames a kestrel and learns from the bird how to be proudly, fiercely himself," Elderkin says. "It's such a beautiful book." Read it to remind yourself you really can do anything.
If you're feeling super stressed ...
I Capture the Castle
amazon.com
$13.59
Whether you're feeling overwhelmed by work, the kids or any other one of life's many pressures, Elderkin and Berthoud recommend reading a book "with a light approach to living." I Capture the Castle, a 1948 novel that follows the humorous yet moving journal entries of a 17-year-old English girl growing up in poverty, is the perfect option, Elderkin says.
If you've lost that loving feeling ...
The Enchanted April
amazon.com
$5.88
Sometimes, even in the best and longest-lasting relationships, you start to feel like the romance or the kindness is fading. In this situation, Elderkin and Berthoud prescribe the 1922 novel The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim, which tells the story of four English women who rediscover love while on vacation together in Italy. Elderkin calls the book "the best cure in the world" for this type of relationship woe.
If you're grieving ...
Seymour: An Introduction
amazon.com
$8.00
In this story by famed author J.D. Salinger, fictional character Buddy Glass attempts to introduce and pay tribute to his brother Seymour, who committed suicide some years prior. Told in a stream-of-consciousness style, Seymour: An Introduction is deeply emotional. "As a reader, you come away feeling that your grief is understood," Elderkin says. "Feelings like that really help to lighten the load."
A book a day keeps the doctor away?