Do books have the power to heal us?
Ideas
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Healing Pages: The Power of Literature in War
This chapter examines the extraordinary book donation initiative by the War Library during World War I, which shipped 10 million books to soldiers thanks to public support and efforts from the Postmaster General. It emphasizes the role of literature in providing emotional solace and aiding recovery for wounded soldiers, while also highlighting the contributions of women in fostering literary caregiving. Through the establishment of libraries in military hospitals, the chapter showcases how personal reading choices helped mitigate the psychological trauma experienced during war.
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