223. Literary Rx — Books to Beat the Doldrums

Some of Proust’s notes for “Swann’s Way,” with doodles.Credit...Bibliotheque nationale de France (BnF), Paris, France, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais/Art Resource, NY

Books are a time-tested cure-all, so in this week’s bonus episode Amy weighs a few of the titles that have helped her forget life's latest troubles and doubts … (sort of). She leaves no stone unturned in her quest for distraction, from Proust’s meandering sentences to a behind-the-scenes memoir about a beloved ’80s film and a charming, century-old suffrage novel that captures our current political zeitgeist. Rounding out the episode is a sneak peak at “lost ladies” we’ll be featuring in the coming year and Amy’s recitation of a poem by Adrienne Rich that’s perfectly suited to these strange times. This bonus episode is available to paid subscribers or for individual purchase.