You may have seen this post from a couple of years ago which referred to 'bibliotherapy'. Well, the ladies behind that service have now put their knowledge and advice in book form, and with a copy of The Novel Cure: An A to Z of Literary Remedies by Ella Berthoud and Susan Elderkin to hand, anyone can take a 'literary tonic' for whatever ails them.
This is a welcome addition to my 'books about books' shelf, and something with which to have a lot of fun, so I'll give you the blurb first and then we can play with the book!
"Are you weary in Brain and Body? Do you desire a Positive Cure for your Pessimism? Do you require Brontë to re-boot your Broken Heart? Do you despair of your Nose? Can Fielding open your Flood Gates? Or Pynchon purge your Paranoia? May we administer Austen to curb your Arrogance? Hemingway for your Headache? An injection of du Maurier for your low Self-Esteem? Are you Shy, Single, Stressed or Sixty? Are your Vital Statistics in need of some Spark? May we massage you with Murakami? Ease your pain with Woolf or Wodehouse? Do you require the Very Book to lessen your Loneliness?...
This is "a new approach to fuelling your reading list and a chance to see the books on your shelves with fresh eyes". It's pretty comprehensive, too, featuring both classics and contemporary novels (and it's right up to date for I notice Peggy Riley's Amity & Sorrow is one of the 'prescriptions'), and while it's arranged alphabetically by general ailment, it also has a separate list of 'reading ailments', and then an index of lists, and one of novels and authors so that you can see at a glance what a particular book would be good for.
To give you an idea, I'll take a few examples of the above at random.
From the A-Z of Ailments: boredom; friends, in need of; regret; extravagance; bad back; confrontation, fear of; brainy, being exceptionally.
From the index of Reading Ailments: guilt, reading associated; skim, tendency to; hype, put off by; new books, seduced by; book-buyer, being a compulsive.
From the index of lists: the ten best - audio books, novels for duvet days, escapist novels, novels to make you laugh, novels for seeming well-read.
The index of novels and authors is self-explanatory, but I thought that if you have a particular favourite and you'd like to know whether it is prescribed for some ailment or other, then leave a comment and I'll look it up for you. For instance, my much-loved To Kill a Mockingbird is in under "coward, being a" and "single parent, being a", each entry giving me just enough synopsis and comment to have me picking up the book, so please name a book or an author and if they are listed I'll tell you what you should 'take them' for.
Via Twitter, The Velvet Nap ( http://thevelvetnap.wordpress.com/ ) asked about Wuthering Heights.
It's listed in three places: under 'adoption', 'vengeance, seeking', and as one of the ten best novels for seeming well-read.
Posted by: Cornflower | 06 September 2013 at 10:51 AM
How about I Capture the Castle?
Posted by: B R Wombat | 06 September 2013 at 11:17 AM
Yes, it's in twice! It's one of the ten best novels to cheer you up, and it's prescribed for writer's block.
Posted by: Cornflower | 06 September 2013 at 11:22 AM
I'd be interested to know what they pair up with Madame Bovary.
Posted by: Claire | 06 September 2013 at 03:00 PM
Needless to say, Madame B. comes under 'A' for adultery (she's alongside Anna Karenina, John Coates' Patience - http://www.cornflowerbooks.co.uk/2013/01/patience-by-john-coates.html - and The Summer Without Men by Siri Hustvedt, books to be read whether one is contemplating or involved in an affair, or is the party wounded by an unfaithful partner).
Posted by: Cornflower | 06 September 2013 at 03:12 PM
Ok, what does she say about Colette (Ripening Seed if you want a single book) and Murakami (Kafka on the Shore if she is specific). Many thanks for the time it takes you to answer my silly questions! P x
Posted by: Dark Puss | 06 September 2013 at 07:08 PM
I think they were on Woman's Hour this week recommending a novel to cure constipation. I couldn't help thinking that eating more fruit would be a useful recommendation.
What do they say about Mrs Miniver by Jan Struther?
Posted by: Sue | 06 September 2013 at 07:29 PM
Colette isn't in the book, but perhaps you could suggest what she might be prescribed for, DP, if you were offering such reading suggestions.
Murakami is there and comes under 'F' for 'falling out of love with love' - that's IQ84, and 'U' for 'unemployment', in relation to The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Re. the latter, the authors say their cure will divide readers into two camps, those who identify with the character Toru, and those who can't take his "unquestioning passivity".
Posted by: Cornflower | 06 September 2013 at 08:24 PM
I agree about the fruit, Sue!
Sadly, Mrs. Miniver doesn't figure, which is a shame as it's such a delightful book.
Posted by: Cornflower | 06 September 2013 at 08:25 PM
I was going to ask about Mrs Miniver too. I can't think of a better book for cheering-up and reminding me to notice the joy in everyday moments. Another wonderful tonic is to listen to Penelope Wilton reading it!
Posted by: Sylvia | 06 September 2013 at 09:28 PM
Oh, I'd love to have heard Penelope Wilton reading it - she would be excellent!
You're so right about the joy in everyday moments, Sylvia.
Posted by: Cornflower | 06 September 2013 at 09:41 PM
I'd prescribe Colette to anyone who has lost their appreciation of the sensuous or who is suffering from an overly sentimental view of animals.
Posted by: Dark Puss | 07 September 2013 at 06:07 AM
Thank you Cornflower. I note my comment on Patience says it's sitting on the shelf un-read and still is! Have mentally moved it up the tbr. Enjoying Crusoe's Daughter very much by the way.
Posted by: Claire | 07 September 2013 at 07:22 AM
Glad to hear you're enjoying Crusoe's Daughter, Claire. I finished it yesterday and I loved it.
Posted by: Cornflower | 07 September 2013 at 08:26 AM
Interesting! Many thanks, DP.
Posted by: Cornflower | 07 September 2013 at 08:26 AM
Sylvia I would love to listen to Penelope Wilton read Mrs Miniver but I can't locate it on Audible or Amazon. Any ideas?
Posted by: Sue | 08 September 2013 at 04:21 PM
Just offering this in case Sylvia doesn't see your question, Sue - apparently PW read the stories on the radio a while ago ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nnrp5/episodes/guide ), but they are not currently available in iPlayer, which is a pity.
Posted by: Cornflower | 08 September 2013 at 07:48 PM
Great! It's my favourite book of all time and is certainly cheering. But it might encourage writer's block as one might be put off by how excellent it is.
Posted by: B R Wombat | 09 September 2013 at 05:35 PM
I'm so excited to read this! Thanks for another great post.
Posted by: Caroline | 04 October 2013 at 12:45 PM
You're welcome, Caroline, and the book is fun!
Posted by: Cornflower | 04 October 2013 at 03:27 PM
I just got this book from the library and I was surprised to see how much I disliked the authors' point of view. On Losing a Limb, they suggest one read Peter Pan and pretend to be Captain Hook. They may think that's amusing, but it makes me doubt their judgement and wonder how serious they are in recommending that people read the books they mention. If you're feeling really blue, read Last Exit to Brooklyn and realize life is just difficult (or whatever their moral was)? I sampled a number of entries and found their outlook depressing. Back to the library with that one!
Posted by: Kate | 04 March 2016 at 02:29 AM
Many entries are written with tongue firmly in cheek!
Posted by: Cornflower | 04 March 2016 at 08:35 AM