Read More Fiction

Reading Fiction Has Many Benefits. Learn about the positive effects reading fiction has on your brain and your life. Plus I offer up a few great book recommendations. References: Carney J, Robertson C (2022) Five studies evaluating the impact on mental health and mood of recalling, reading, and discussing fiction. PLoS ONE 17(4): e0266323. https://doi.org/ 10.1371/journal.pone.0266323 Castano Emanuele, (2024) Less Is More: How the Language of Fiction Fosters Emotion Recognition, Emotion Review 16(2): DOI: 10.1177/17540739241232350 https://journals.sagepub.com/home/emr Castano E, Paladino MP, Cadwell OG, Cuccio V and Perconti P (2021) Exposure to Literary Fiction Is Associated With Lower Psychological Essentialism. Front. Psychol. 12:662940. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.662940 Chang YH, Wu IC, Hsiung CA. Reading activity prevents long-term decline in cognitive function in older people: evidence from a 14-year longitudinal study. Int Psychogeriatr. 2021 Jan;33(1):63-74. doi: 10.1017/S1041610220000812. Epub 2020 Jun 5. PMID: 32498728; PMCID: PMC8482376. David Comer Kidd, Emanuele Castano ,Reading Literary Fiction Improves Theory of Mind.Science342,377-380(2013).DOI:10.1126/science.1239918 Currie, N.K., Wilkinson, K. and McGeown, S. (2025), Reading Fiction and Psychological Well-being During Older Adulthood: Positive Affect, Connection and Personal Growth. Read Res Q, 60: e605. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.605 Pettersson, Cecilia (2018) Psychological well-being, improved self- confidence, and social capacity: bibliotherapy from a user perspective, Journal of Poetry Therapy, 31:2, 124-134, DOI: 10.1080/08893675.2018.1448955