Instead of 'mood-boosting books', imagine doctors handing out prescriptions for gloomy masterpieces by Samuel Beckett and Thomas Hardy. Martin Chilton looks at the appeal of 20 great depressing novels.
Puddleglum is an unusually cheerful marsh-wiggle in Narnia, "altogether
too full of bobance and bounce and high spirits". He is told sternly by
other wiggles that he has to learn "that life isn't all fricasseed
frogs and eel pie".
Would CS Lewis have passed a “cheerful test” for the new 'Books
On Prescription Scheme'? The project, which will be rolled out across
doctor's surgeries and libraries from May, means that patients suffering
from panic attacks, depression, relationship problems and anxiety will be
offered “mood-boosting books” on prescription, to be redeemed at the
library.
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