Ep 13: In Search of the Woman Who Sailed the World + the healing power of bibliotherapy

Biologist and award-winning author Danielle Clode embarks on a journey to reveal the true story of Jeanne Barret, the first woman to circumnavigate the world in 1775. We meet an impoverished peasant from Burgundy who disguised herself as a man and sailed on a french voyage around the world from the South American jungles and Magellan Strait to the tropical islands of the Indo-Pacific. Seamlessly weaving together memoir, history and science, Clode unmasks the remarkable woman who, like all explorers, charted her own course for others to follow. And… We avid readers know deep down that reading is good for us. But did you know your gut feeling has a name? Bibliotherapy, or book therapy, is an ancient practice that is gaining a resurgence in medical practice. Doctors in Wales now incorporate “book prescriptions” in a holistic approach to mental health concerns and the State Library of Victoria created an online course in bibliotherapy when Melbournians were locked down due to Covid. UniSA PhD candidate, Elizabeth Wells, is studying the therapeutic benefit of being read to aloud when undergoing chemotherapy. She joined Michaela to explain the many ways in which bibliotherapy can benefit us all.   Guests:    Danielle Clode, author of “In Search of the Woman Who Sailed the World” To hear a dramatisation of the story go to the History Listen Elizabeth Wells, PhD Candidate, UniSA STEM. The title of her thesis is “An exploration of the potential benefits of read-aloud programs to the well-being of cancer patients undergoing treatment”   Our Random Reader - Tony   Other books that get a mention: Elizabeth recommends short stories from her read-aloud program. These include “Great Australian Outback Yarns” by Bill Swampy Marsh, “All Together Now” by Monica McInerny,  “I’ve Got Your Number” by Sophie Kinsella. Other authors of short stories she recommends highly include P.G. Wodehouse, Kitty Flannagan, Geoffrey Archer, Maeve Binchy and Anna Jacobs. One of Elizabeth’s personal favourite books is “The 13th Gift; The true story of a Christmas miracle” by Joanne Huist-Smith. Elizabeth also mentions The Reading Agency UK (https://readingagency.org.uk) and State Library of Victoria (https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/bibliotherapy) Michaela recommends a podcast Women Read (with Freya & Mel). In each episode a woman chooses a book she loves and reads the first chapter aloud. Tony recommends Patrick Susskind’s classic “Perfume”, Elizabeth Knox “The Vintner’s Luck “ and anything by Peter Goldsworthy   Music composed by Quentin Grant    SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES   INSTA - Pan Macmillan Australia @macmillanaus INSTA - Danielle Clode @danielleclode INSTA - University of South Australia @WomeninSTEMUniSA INSTA - Elizabeth Wells @reading.for.wellbeing INSTA - Women Read @_womenread FB - Pan Macmillan Australia - @panmacmillanaustralia FB - Danielle Clode @danielleclode FB - Elizabeth Well's research @readingforwellbeing FB - University of South Australia @unisaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.