Prescriptions for the Soul: How Classic Books Help Us Heal
Members-Only Literary Fancy Post – May 25, 2025
What if the comfort you’re craving isn’t in your pantry, on your screen, or at the bottom of your to-do list? What if it’s already sitting on your shelf?
There’s a quiet power in classic literature. These aren’t just old stories. They’re soul mirrors—reflecting our grief, our hope, our longing to be seen and made whole.
This week, in honor of Sherlock Holmes Day and the quiet mystery of being alive, I want to share something more intimate: my own literary prescriptions. Not as a cure-all, but as companions. If you’re feeling lost, lonely, or just a little frayed at the edges, maybe one of these stories will sit with you awhile.
☕ Feeling Burnt Out: The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
"Beauty made you love, and love made you beautiful."
Four women escape their dreary lives in rainy London to rent a castle in Italy. What starts as an escape becomes a transformation. This is a quiet, restorative novel—a perfect antidote to modern burnout.
Settle in with a lavender tea and let the sunshine of San Salvatore breathe life back into you.
😟 Feeling Invisible: Villette by Charlotte Brontë
"I believe in some blending of hope and sunshine sweetening the worst lots. I believe that this life is not all."
Lucy Snowe is a woman who disappears into rooms. Her interior life, though, burns bright and deeply felt. If you’ve ever felt like the background character in your own story, this novel will hold your hand through the ache—and remind you that quiet souls still shine.
😬 Feeling Anxious: The Diary of a Country Priest by Georges Bernanos
"Grace is everywhere."
Not widely read but profoundly moving, this French classic follows a sickly young priest through spiritual doubt, duty, and discovery. If your mind feels cluttered and you’re longing for peace, this book’s sparse prose and steady rhythm can still your pulse.
Pair with candlelight and silence.