Book Reviews

Book Reviews

Welcome to our book review section. It is short but the books under review are fascinating. I am particularly thrilled about the two first books that explore the use of language and its influence on our lives. Reading is an integral part of language, and it can be a passive activity, or an active endeavour. In its passive form it becomes a fleeting experience where the words enter through one eye and exit through the other without leaving a (substantial) mark. However, when we actively engage with a text, it becomes a dance between the reader and the writer. The writer may take the lead, but it is the reader who questions, wonders, interprets and makes the text their own. This is a live process of exploration that stirs our imagination, as we co-create landscapes, visualise and sense the characters and their emotions.

The first two reviews delve into the realm of language. Material Girls by Kathleen Stock is a thought-provoking book that explores, amongst others, the role of language in the gender wars. Next is, Eva Meijer's The Limits of My Language, which reflects on how language enables and constrains our understanding of depression. We then encounter the review for Sarah Bakewell's Humanly Possible, a historical exploration spanning seven centuries of Humanism and its enduring influence. Lastly, we have a review of Group Therapy by Karen Weixel Dixon, a practical guide that provides valuable insights into the practice of group therapy.

Just before I finish, I would like to appeal to all readers of this journal to reach out to me as we need more contributions for this section. As a community of avid readers – we all read a lot to stay up to date – we have the power to enhance our collective knowledge by sharing our thoughts and insights on the books we read. Your perspective is invaluable to each one of us.

I wish you all a wonderful summer filled with lots of joy found on the pages of the books accompanying you.

Ondine Smulders