ca·thar·tic / kəˈθärtik/
• adj. 1. providing psychological relief through the open expression of strong emotions
Examples of cathartic text being the Shakespearian plays Hamlet and Julius Caesar, as well as the entire contents of WHSmith's Tragic Life Stories section. Six shelves of books sit and document the tragic life stories of children, adults, small fluffy things probably and anyone else the author can get their hands on- sometimes even themselves. With eyesnatching adjectives for titles such as "Betrayed" (Lyndsey Harns), "Worthless" (Marilyn Hardy) and "Disgraced" (Saira Ahmed), each promises to be some variation on the theme of harrowing childhood stories of misuse and neglect; tense emotional battles in which the subject's sole ally is a kindly stranger/ sister/ author; all in all a life-changing, tear-filled tale that is, by definition, cathartic. By the time you've read it, you feel pretty happy it didn't happen to you.
There were other titles which didn't seem like psychiatrist's notes, though. "Afraid" (Sharon McGovern), "Vanished" (Danny Collins) and "Stalked" (Kate Brennan) might even be able to cater for a demographic more appreciative of action, but for me there was one that stood out in particular. The cover held a picture of a young crying girl- the blurb reveals she is ten years old and a foster child of the author. The hyperbolously named Cathy Glass book "The saddest girl in the world", however, was just the tip of this particularly strange iceberg. The author, who writes under a pseudonym, has written books detailing the lives of a few of the neglected children she has fostered over the last twenty years, including "Cut", "Hidden" and "Damaged", which altogether have sold over half a million copies worldwide.
Two worries leapt to my mind as I scanned the shelves. Firstly, just how many adjectives are there with such negative connotations? Surely soon the Tragic Life Story-writers will simply run out of them? And secondly, what kind of readership does Bristol's branch of WHSmith's attract that it warrants so many books of this kind to be stocked? Are we really that eager to be depressed?
For Cathy Glass, at least, there does seem to be a point- her website tells us "Her books are now used extensively by lecturers...working in the area of childcare", and she's now gone on to write "Happy Kids", a guide to "raising well-behaved, contented children", news which partly melted my scepticism on the matter. If these kinds of books are going to help change legislature, advise people, highlight holes in The System, etc... that's okay. It's like watching the ten o'clock news. What worries me is that most people browsing the Biographies in their local bookstore aren't going to be psychologists or policymakers, they're looking for a story, maybe a bit of enlightenment, but most of all, entertainment while waiting for the kettle to brew. A spot of Schadenfreude followed by a spot of tea.
• adj. 1. providing psychological relief through the open expression of strong emotions
Examples of cathartic text being the Shakespearian plays Hamlet and Julius Caesar, as well as the entire contents of WHSmith's Tragic Life Stories section. Six shelves of books sit and document the tragic life stories of children, adults, small fluffy things probably and anyone else the author can get their hands on- sometimes even themselves. With eyesnatching adjectives for titles such as "Betrayed" (Lyndsey Harns), "Worthless" (Marilyn Hardy) and "Disgraced" (Saira Ahmed), each promises to be some variation on the theme of harrowing childhood stories of misuse and neglect; tense emotional battles in which the subject's sole ally is a kindly stranger/ sister/ author; all in all a life-changing, tear-filled tale that is, by definition, cathartic. By the time you've read it, you feel pretty happy it didn't happen to you.
There were other titles which didn't seem like psychiatrist's notes, though. "Afraid" (Sharon McGovern), "Vanished" (Danny Collins) and "Stalked" (Kate Brennan) might even be able to cater for a demographic more appreciative of action, but for me there was one that stood out in particular. The cover held a picture of a young crying girl- the blurb reveals she is ten years old and a foster child of the author. The hyperbolously named Cathy Glass book "The saddest girl in the world", however, was just the tip of this particularly strange iceberg. The author, who writes under a pseudonym, has written books detailing the lives of a few of the neglected children she has fostered over the last twenty years, including "Cut", "Hidden" and "Damaged", which altogether have sold over half a million copies worldwide.
Two worries leapt to my mind as I scanned the shelves. Firstly, just how many adjectives are there with such negative connotations? Surely soon the Tragic Life Story-writers will simply run out of them? And secondly, what kind of readership does Bristol's branch of WHSmith's attract that it warrants so many books of this kind to be stocked? Are we really that eager to be depressed?
For Cathy Glass, at least, there does seem to be a point- her website tells us "Her books are now used extensively by lecturers...working in the area of childcare", and she's now gone on to write "Happy Kids", a guide to "raising well-behaved, contented children", news which partly melted my scepticism on the matter. If these kinds of books are going to help change legislature, advise people, highlight holes in The System, etc... that's okay. It's like watching the ten o'clock news. What worries me is that most people browsing the Biographies in their local bookstore aren't going to be psychologists or policymakers, they're looking for a story, maybe a bit of enlightenment, but most of all, entertainment while waiting for the kettle to brew. A spot of Schadenfreude followed by a spot of tea.
Comments
Post a Comment