The Novel Cure: If the problem persists, consult the great works of literature
Alice Jones' Arts Diary
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.It’s a rare problem that cannot be solved by a sit down with a good book. That at least is the thinking behind The Novel Cure, a new A to Z of literary remedies to all manner of ailments, published by Canongate next week.
Man flu? Take a dose of Les Miserables. Heartbroken? Jane Eyre will heal it. Tinnitus? Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom will drown that out. Baldness? Patricia Cornwell’s Blow Fly will make you glad to be hairless.
These are some of the 750 or so tonics suggested by Ella Berthoud and Susan Elderkin who began “prescribing” books to each other at Cambridge University. “I gave Sue a copy of Don Marquis’s Archy and Mehitabel about a cockroach poet when she was feeling temporarily unconfident about her writing. It grew from there,” Berthoud tells me. “This book is the result of 25 years of thought. It has cures for everything from being stuck in a rut, to dealing with your mother-in-law or hating your nose.”
Also in the Arts Diary
I Can’t Sing: The X Factor Musical - Anything the Spice Girls can do, Harry Hill can do better
It could be you: £2,500 tickets available for the art world's new lottery
@AlicevJones
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments