With Pen In Hand

December 15, 2002
Reading can provide welcome escape from one's pain and sorrow. Writing about those same emotions, says Klauser, can help a troubled mind embrace the anguish and work toward healing. An ardent proponent of the power of the written word, Klauser, whose sometimes New Agey language does not preclude serious information, and whose previous books have been testaments to writing's ability to transform paralyzing inactivity into productive accomplishments and solitary reticence into satisfying relationships, now examines and extols its therapeutic benefits. Whether as letters or journals, poetry or prose, the writing Klauser advocates is not for professional publication but for personal catharsis, and she offers practical techniques designed to help even the most reluctant or inexperienced writer communicate his or her innermost thoughts. From the loss of a job to the death of a spouse, from the trauma of assault to the terror of abandonment, Klauser shares the true stories of people who have faced the worst life has to offer and who have gained solace through the act of writing about their ordeals.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)