What is Bibliotherapy?

As Book Riot describes it: "The Guardian reported recently that some doctors in England are set to begin prescribing books instead of drugs for their patients with mild-to-moderate mental health concerns, so why not have someone whose job it is to prescribe books for whatever ails you, be it physical or existential? I suppose you might already have access to this kind of service if you are particularly close to a bookseller or librarian (or if you have poor boundaries and tell anyone who will listen about your issues–speaking of, there’s a book for that). How great would it be if you could make an appointment or have a regular date with your bibliotherapist where you could dish about your mood, your travel plans, the annoying thing your husband is doing lately, your recent bout of insomnia, and the song that won’t get out of your head, and they would prescribe the perfect book to make you happy again?"

This is what I propose to do for you, my dear readers. Contact me (see the form in the sidebar) with your stories, problems, your woes and worries. Where it asks for a name, write any tagline you wish that sums up your message. I will post your message and my reply here on this blog within 24 hours. Please include a preferred format: fiction/non-fiction, poetry, essays, short story. You may also make a note of any type of writing that you absolutely cannot stand to read. PLEASE NOTE: If you accidentally put your real name or any identifying info, I will keep it out of the post and change your name to match your message's content. I will keep everything private to protect your identity. I only want to help you, so here's my promise to never use the knowledge you give me for anything other than bibliotherapy.

I have always sought and found solace in books my whole life. I wish to share that peace and joy with you, my darling fellow readers.

With great love and compassion, best is a book twice read,
Your Bibliotherapist

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Dear Bibliotherapist, from Stir Crazy



I find that in the next few months I will be going stir crazy. I'm thinking I may need a book series to carry me through. But I've read most of the classic series, Potter, Ring, etc Any great NEW series that may pull me through?
          - Stir Crazy 
Dear Stir Crazy,


Don't we all yearn for a new series as groundbreaking as Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings or a magical journey like Harry Potter? If they ever create a way to experience something as if you were experiencing it for the first time, I would probably ask to re-experience those two series for the first time.

This one took me longer than I expected, because us readers are hardpressed to find "new" sets of books to slake our thirst. Some of the following that I've suggested may not be new, per se, but they are wonderful (and very long) series that may help you through!


  • The Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett: The late great Terry Pratchett is a genius. His Discworld books are practically never ending fun. If you haven't already read these, the first novel in the series is The Color of Magic.  Forty books set in this world are published. Who wouldn't want to read about a world that is a flat disc, set on the backs of four elephants, who stand on the back of a giant turtle? Plus, Pratchett's humour is irresistible.
  • The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan: The friends that started me on this series were woe-betide thinking the series would never be finished. This epic fantasy was planned for only six books, but now it runs the length of fourteen books, and counting. Unfortunately, Robert Jordan passed in 2007, but Brandon Sanderson has collaborated with Jordan's wife to finish the series. Sanderson is a great author as well.  If you liked The Lord of the Rings, and have a knack at remembering characters(I had to keep a notebook with the different characters so I could remember who was who, thank the literary gods for Kindle's X-Ray) this series might be a good fit for you. One of the things I adored about this series is the strong female characters, but (hopefully this isn't a spoiler) there is a stark contrast between men and women throughout the series. I'll let you explore it for yourself. The first book is The Eye of the World. Watch for Perrin. His story captures my heart better than the main character, Rand. But perhaps you'll disagree with me and fall in love with a different character entirely. That's the beauty of this series, there's so many characters that people with a multitude of backgrounds can find at least one to relate to.
  • His Fair Assassin series by Robin LaFevers: This one is fairly new, but also fairly short. Only three books grace this set, and they are fast reads. But, oh, is it a wonderful and delicious ride. I stumbled upon the first book, Grave Mercy, at the library, and was instantly hooked. The main characters in the series, Ismae, Sybella, and Annith each have their own novel. For what looked like another teen fantasy romance set, this one blew me away. I will never forget these three women and their fictional place in a touch more fantastical Breton history. 
  • Anything by Neil Gaiman: It might not be a series, but Neil Gaiman has fast become one of my favorite contemporary authors. He blends fantasy and dark humour so well, he conjures up fairy tales out of the mundane and is so delightfully creative that his books are a joy to read. A good one to start with, which I think I suggested it in a previous post as well, is The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Two more that I highly suggest are American Gods, Gaiman's take on Old World gods being brought over to the New World by their followers and subsequently either dying out or taking power in whatever way they can; and Good Omens, which is his telling of the Apocalypse being fought against desperately by the unlikely team of an angel and a demon, and if the Antichrist was a pretty innocent seven year old boy who just wants to play with his friends. 
In order to keep this response brief enough to be readable, I'll just link a handful of series and authors below that you will hopefully find enjoyable. They include fantasy and historical fiction. 

  • The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Pötzsch-this is a historical mystery series, and there's four books to it so far. Free on Kindle Unlimited! 
  • The King Raven Trilogy by Stephen Lawhead- an in-depth, creative journey into Robin Hood, Will Scarlet and Friar Tuck's lives.
  • The Dame Frevisse Mysteries by Margaret Frazer-think Agatha Christie in the Dark Ages
  • The Paper Magician series by Charlie N. Holmberg
  • The Copper Sign by Katia Fox- there are three books so far in this series. Very very good.
  • The Roman Britain Trilogy by Rosemary Sutcliffe- a little dense at times, but the Roman legions battle for control over early Britain is such an incredible time in history that it's worth the read.

I hope I have given you enough to choose from! Good luck with your stir-crazy months, and if you run out of books, please let me know and I'll find a whole new list for you. Here's a quote to encourage you through this as well:
“Let the darkness find you if it must. Throw off the quick and tempting escapes, and seek help only from those who would teach you to grow, feed your soul, embrace your heart, but would not steal away your journey.”
― Jennifer DeLucy



Best is a book twice read,

Your Bibliotherapist
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