In the autumn 2017 issue of the The Royal Society of Literature Review, the is an article with much the same title, and it’s discussing the therapeutic benefits of shared reading.  The idea – a simple one –  is that great books or poems are selected and read aloud in groups of two to twenty.  But the results might be called bibliotherapy.

Louise, a volunteer in Oswestry said: “From the three sessions I’ve been involved in so far I have been staggered by how much individuals, people I’ve not known previously, are prepared to share their feelings, emotions, thoughts – it’s been a privilege and although I often come away quite exhausted, I’m also full of joy at the power literature has on people. One woman told me: “I always thought I was stupid at school because I couldn’t take things in quickly. Today, because we have read slowly, I understood it. I’m not stupid.” Another said that having a story read to her made her feel sad because she’d not had that as a child but at the end she said: “Please come back, I want to do that again, it has made me feel lovely.”

Zena, a volunteer in Kent said:  “I think a lot of people see reading as something educational or out of their reach, I really want people of all backgrounds and abilities to see that reading can make a difference for their health and well-being. I don’t have a literary background, I hope that helps my group members see reading as something accessible to everyone.  I had a wonderful moment with an individual in the domestic abuse group I deliver while reading Jenny Colgan’s A Very Distant Shore. A group member who usually doesn’t say much asked what a refugee was, when I explained, they replied “that’s like me, I’m escaping something and starting again.” You could really see them thinking about it, processing the idea – they made a wonderful and very powerful connection with the story.”

Stephen, Phoenix House, Wirral said:  “The books, stories and poetry, whilst not necessarily dealing with my own problems directly, raise issues similar to my own which I have found myself addressing vicariously, assisted by the thoughts, suggestions and ideas of other group members. It has brought structure to my life, something that disappeared because of job loss and drinking.  Discussions, raised on points from the story or poem, often range far from the subject matter, but are just as important for me as they encourage me to think and interact on all levels. Without the Shared Reading group, I don’t feel that my recovery would have been possible. Listening to someone tell a story, read a play or recite a poem holds my attention for far longer than anything else can, giving me food for good thoughts and distracting my attention away from my issues and addiction triggers.”

The Reader, a charity started by Jane Davis, and RSL member in 2008 has trained over 7,000 people in the Shared Reading model, and there are currently 300 weekly sessions across the UK, with 53 of the groups in 32 different criminal justice settings.  Other settings include rehab clinics, refuges, and care homes.  Shared Reading reaches out to people who were not committed readers, or who could not read, or left reading behind when they graduated, or who believe that reading is a luxury well beyond them.

For those of you who would be interested in leading a reading group, there is training available.  See www.thereader.org.uk.