Poetry has the power to heal: say authors at Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest
The first panel discussion of Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest ‘A book can make it better’ saw three acclaimed authors come together to discuss on why literature has the power to heal. The discussion, chaired by Indira Chandrasekhar, saw Frank Moorhouse, Nicholas Shakespeare and Yonatan Berg delve in their journeys as authors to discover why reading literature can have a therapeutic effect on readers.
The three authors, through their books, have explored the gamut of human experiences. However, each author had a unique background that led them to write books that inspired their readers to heal. Frank Moorhouse shared insights from his research while writing about The League of Nations and how it failed to heal the world and prevent World War II.
Yonatan Berg, who is also a therapist, spoke about bibliotherapy. In his experience, reading a passage often allows readers to connect to their feelings better, helping them address what’s bothering them. Nicholas Shakespeare summed up the discussion by saying “There is no reason why literature should heal. However, an important by-product of reading is empathy.”
This panel discussion was followed by an absorbing poetry reading session by Adil Jussawala, Eleanor Hooker, Keki Daruwalla and Zigonia Zingone.
