The Bibliophile's Guide to Project Bibliotherapy

  • 21 Aug, 2020

Bibliophile (noun) - ‘An 'ape-descended life form' who prefers books to other 'ape-descended life forms'. One who doesn't like people less, but loves reading more.’

Guide (noun) - ‘Everything about something of interest - in one place, updated at regular intervals and arranged in reading order. Usually in the form of a handbook designed to be useful for visitors, first-timers and veterans alike, both 'ape-descended' as well as other-worldly.’

Project (noun) - ‘An individual or collaborative effort consisting of a series of experiments created to achieve a particular aim. For example, to chase the blues away, one book at a time.’

Bibliotherapy (noun) - ‘The use of books to aid people in solving the issues that they may be facing at a particular time.’ First coined during the trying times of World War I.

[WANT TO READ MORE IN 2021?
ADD YOURSELF TO THE BIBLIOTHERAPY READERS' LIST]

Greetings, Reader!

Welcome to the Guide!!

Scroll to the bottom for a concise primer about everything on the Bibliotherapy front in reading order.

(This version updated on 29th October, 2020 includes - Know Your Bibliophile / The Origin Story, The Bibliophile's 35 under 35, Read More with Project Bibliotherapy)

Happy Reading! Stay safe, stay sane!! :)

~ Reader-in-Chief

Know Your Bibliophile / the origin story
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One Billion Seconds (or 31.7ish years) 6th October, 1985 - 8th August, 2017 On the morning of the 9th, a Wednesday, my alarm didn't go off. Still I woke up at 9, surprisingly hangover-free considering the 11-pint 'fare-thee-well' bender the night before. I woke up absolutely free, completely clueless about the day ahead. My time was mine, and no one else's. For the first time ever. No school or college to attend. For the first time in seven years, there were no commutes, colleagues, managers, clients, meetings, targets, Key Responsibility Areas, achievements, designations, paychecks, rewards, bonuses, career advancements, job security ahead... Also no concrete goals or fixed Plan Of Action. Only uncertainty, and lots of it. The first few hours of my 'gap year' were three parts liberating, ninety-seven parts overwhelming. So it was a literally insane me who decided that the best cure for my blues would be to spend some exclusive quality time with the ones who’ve been responsible for much of my joy and happiness over three decades, but now scattered all over the place. My books. Over three weeks of self-prescribed bibliotherapy, I reunited myself with long lost buddies from all stages in life, the fondest from childhood. And there were more than a few still around, all thanks to a mother who believed there can’t be a thing such as too many books, and a father who carefully preserved every memory, even all those years I wasn’t around, busy playing the Game of Life. There were many gifted and treasured, some bought but never read; others borrowed but never returned; none stolen, thankfully. For the first time, I had all my friends in the same place, at the same time. And like responsible friends, one, they gave me perspective, and two, the encouragement to pull off crazy, random stuff, one day at a time… . . . (1/3)

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The bibliophile's 35 under 35

The debut post - the tale of my journey as a reader, told through nine montages, nine quotes...

My post-'gap year' take on Life, the Universe and Everything...

read more with project bibliotherapy

Name. One book/author/topic on your reading list for 2021. Email. Phone number (optional). That’s all.
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Edit- We have moved to Razorpay for payments within India. For readers outside India: Sign up for the Readers of 42 at a one-time fee of $50 to unlock access to the following benefits: 1. 42: The Curious Reader's Companion (5 Volumes) - Swipe and tap to access a selection of 42 hand-picked reads, across genres, by 42 different authors in each volume + podcasts, videos, bonus links, writing prompts, and more. 2. Unrestricted Access to the Readers of 42 Library on Substack till December 31, 2025 - Receive nudges to read from our Reader Companions via email as part of our weekly Readathons in 2025. 3. Access to the 'Readers of 42' WhatsApp private broadcast - Stay updated through our admin-only group. (No spam, we promise) 4. Priority invitations and special prices for our offline and online Reader Experiences - Meet fellow readers at our Guided Reading Meditations, bookstore mixers, and live streams. Also, cohort-based courses launching soon. 5. Monthly virtual Reader meets

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