reading habit
Literature And Mental Health
Mental health has, for the longest time, been a hush-hush topic in India. The stigma associated with it is so tremendous that people find it easier to brush it under the carpet than get the help necessary. However, growing concerns over mental health issues amidst the lockdown, and the recent demise of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput have worked to restart the conversation around mental health in India.
The first step is always greater awareness, and literature can play a huge role here. Reading about the experiences of others who are or have been dealing with mental health issues can go a long way in destigmatising the subject. If you’re wondering where to start, here are some books that we think can help.
Side Effects Of Living: An Anthology Of Voices On Mental Health: Edited by Jhilmil Breckenridge & Namarita Kathait, this anthology of stories, poems and sketches by people diagnosed with mental illness is perfect for everyone—those who seek the courage to accept their own mental health issues as well as those who wish to understand them better to be able to support their loved ones.
—The TCR team
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower: The anxiety of starting a new year at school, dealing with the death of loved ones and the power of friendship all come together in this heart-warming novel. This moving and, at times, incredibly realistic book by Stephen Chbosky had a profound impact on me when I read it. It also helped me realise that high school students have their own set of unique problems and shouldn’t be neglected in any way.
—Prasanna Sawant, TCR Writer
Ruby's Worry: Having read multiple children’s books to my daughter, I’m always intrigued by those that step away from the usual “happy” narrative. As much as we’d like to believe that children don’t have to deal with anxiety, depression and the like until they get older, reality works differently. That’s why Tom Percival’s ‘Ruby’s Worry’ resonated with me. The book helps children understand that it’s okay to have “a worry” (read as depression), that ignoring it can only make it worse, and that talking about it is the best solution.
—Nirbhay Kanoria, TCR Co-Founder
Looking for more? Try the books on this list, or this one.
Books Releasing This Week
- Groupthink: Christopher Booker’s revolutionary book helps us understand how herd mentality shapes cultures, and how it can affect us in today’s world. (June 18, 2020)
- A Burning: A Muslim girl becomes the target of the government when she accuses them of mishandling a bomb blast. Megha Majumdar’s well-reviewed debut shows us the price paid by innocents, and how greed erodes integrity in the lust for power. (June 22, 2020)
- Shameless: Taslima Nasreen’s highly awaited sequel to ‘Lajja’ tells the stories of those who have made India their home and about their lives that are marked by a violent history. (June 22, 2020)
- Why Men Rape: Tara Kaushal provides insight into one of the world’s worst crimes by interviewing rapists, rape survivors, and psychological experts in this meticulously researched book. (June 22, 2020)
- Body And Blood: Benyamin’s novel is sure to be a treat for all literature lovers. Here, he takes us on a tour of the underbelly of the organ trading black market in a story that promises to be thrilling from start to finish. (June 22, 2020)
This week’s selection was a tough one, and with so many amazing books up for release—it was incredibly difficult to pick just five. So, we chose them all. Along with the books mentioned above, we’re also looking forward to getting our hands on ‘Chorashastra’, ‘The World That Belongs To Us’ and ‘Girl’.
Brought to you by
