From Virginia Woolf to Susan Sontag, writers have grappled with how difficult it is to both describe and understand the pain of others. This month we’re going to examine that phenomenon, but also look at some of the writers who have captured the experience of pain in a unique and interesting way. One of those writers is Sinéad Gleeson, whose personal essay collection Constellations thoughtfully explores the way pain of all kinds - physical, emotional, political - can shape a life, and also be the catalyst for finding new ways of expressing the self. So, join us for the next hour as we try to face this challenging universal experience.

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Recommendations on the theme, Pain:

Octavia: Good Morning, Midnight by Jean Rhys https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/571/57150/good-morning--midnight/9780141183930.html

Carrie: Regarding the Pain of Others by Susan Sontag https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/545/54582/regarding-the-pain-of-others/9780141012377.html

General Recommendations:

Octavia: Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl by Andrea Lawlor https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/andrea-lawlor/paul-takes-the-form-of-a-mortal-girl/9781529007664

Carrie: Trust Exercise by Susan Choi https://serpentstail.com/trust-exercise.html