Friday, September 19, 2008

Bibliotherarapy

Can literature sort out your life problems? A group of authors including Alain de Botton have set up a "cultural apothecary" to dispenses bibliotherapy to those who need it :

On offer at the School of Life: books; artwork; holidays; courses; food; sermons; and – most popular of all – "bibliotherapy". Split over ground floor and basement, the building offers a sanctuary where visitors can read, relax and think for themselves.
The bookshop also offers intriguing weekend trips :
De Botton, who six years ago published The Art of Travel, will take customers to Heathrow, where they can expect a guided tour of the new terminal, meet baggage staff and chat to plane spotters – all for £250. Another holiday will feature a tour of the "great tarmac institution" of the M1, promising meetings with "architects and historians, artists and truckers".
More on the shop's website and on the School of Life blog.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

"...visitors can read, relax and think for themselves."
Wow, I want to sign up!

Anonymous said...

For 250pds (Rm1576) I could spend 4 days touring Vietnam all expenses paid. Hmm.. should I spend it on a terminal tour or a 4-day vacation in Vietnam, difficult choice :D

Seriously, is the inflation so bad in Britain that someone can charge that much for a simple terminal tour?

Anonymous said...

Damyanti :

We can do the same thing here, all you need to do is find about 20 people willing to pay half that amount. I'll even do all the setting up LOL :)

Bell..cat... :)

Unknown said...

Anonymous, the amount is also due to the country it is in:).

I am pretty new to this country, and don't know many people, but I'm sure a whole lot of people would be interested in a place to read, browse around, and not be disturbed. Doesn't have to be a posh place either.

I'm not sure about the tours, I hate guided tours of all kinds somehow.

Anonymous said...

Damyanti :

Welcome to Malaysia. Yes, I'm sure a whole lot of people would be interested in a place to read, browse around, and not be disturbed as well. What is most unfortunate is that no one seems to want to pay anything for it :) electricity is expensive, rental is expensive, food and drink is.. actually that's almost free. It's just the rental and power and water.

We could have free food and drink (I know where to get it) but I can't get people to pay for the power and water and rental. So if you're a better salesperson than me, give it a try :)

The British Council tried it for a while, but in the end, it didn't work because it was too small, the book selection sucked and the chairs weren't even chairs (they were beanbags or something.)

Chet said...

>> a place to read, browse around, and not be disturbed.

Wouldn't that be a library?

Anonymous said...

That it would, if you could actually borrow stuff, bring books in, have tea and cakes etc. and maybe talk about the latest books with someone there.