I’ll bet this is true of most people, I know it is with me. Some books I finish reading leave me with such a ‘feel good’ experience that the day just goes better. As I recall the book throughout the day, I may even get a little smile on my face. Ever have this happen? Do you remember the book?
Growing up, I heard this called ‘bibliotherapy’, the creative arts therapy that uses books, poetry, and other written works to help people improve their lives. It can be used to help people recover from mental illness or emotional disturbance and reinforce concepts or strategies from psychotherapy. But because we are booksellers and book lovers, we will give it a different name so that it fits into a ‘genre’, a term we love to throw around. Book aficionados call it the genre of ‘healing fiction’. For those who love to read translated literature (I do!) will know that this has been widely used in Korea and Japan for years. The emphasis is on whimsical and heartwarming storytelling, focusing on relationships and introspective thought within those relationships. Any romance, mystery, or other genre is really secondary to the main focus: feelings. It shouldn’t surprise anyone, either, that a great deal of them feature cats, those cute denizens of the cozy lap world.
As we approach the deep, snow covered days of winter, perhaps a few of these books should find their way onto your lap, as well. Hope you enjoy the selection we have for you at Bay Books.
