The Novel Cure An A to Z of Literary Remedies

Mumsnet ‘Best Books for Christmas 2016’

‘Ideal for anyone who has ever wondered what on earth to read next’ SJ WATSON

‘Witty, engaging and informative. The sort of book you choose for a friend and end up wanting to keep’ RACHEL JOYCE

This is a medical handbook with a difference. Whether you have a stubbed toe or a severe case of the blues, within these pages you’ll find a cure in the form of a novel to help ease your pain. You’ll also find advice on how to tackle common reading ailments – such as what to do when you feel overwhelmed by the number of books in the world, or you have a tendency to give up halfway through. When read at the right moment, a novel can change your life and The Novel Cure is an enchanting reminder of that power.

When read at the right moment, a novel can change your life. Bibliotherapists Ella Berthoud and Susan Elderkin know the power of a good book, and have been prescribing each other literary remedies for all life’s aches and pains for decades. Together, they’ve compiled a medical handbook with a difference: a dictionary of literary cures for any malaise you can imagine.

Whether it’s struggling to find a good cup of tea (Douglas Adams, two sugars) or being in need of a good cry (Thomas Hardy, plus tissues), as well as cures for all kinds of reading ailments – from being a compulsive book buyer to a tendency to give up halfway through a novel – Ella and Susan have the tonic for all ailments, great or small. Written with authority, passion and wit, The Novel Cure is an enchanting reminder of the power and pleasure of forgetting your troubles in a good book.