If you’re wondering “Do books really have the power to heal?” check out Katie Engelhart’s thought-provoking article in the September 2013 Maclean’s magazine.

Looking for books to help understand your own distress? There are countless educational, professional and self-help books.

The young among us are especially vulnerable to trauma but they also have a remarkable resilience. To Light the World: Stories of Hope & Courage for Challenging Times offers an annotated bibliography of inspiring books for young readers.

Recommended literature (three novels and two memoirs) with insights about understanding and coping in the real world:
The Giver – Lois Lowry
One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcí¬a Márquez
Narcissus and Goldmund – Hermann Hesse
Tuesdays with Morrie – Mitch Albom
Last Chance Mustang – Mitchell Bornstein