TW: Some people may find some of the themes discussed in this book upsetting.

The Book of Hope shares the stories of 101 individuals, including the likes of Dame Kelly Holmes, Joe Tracini and Martin Seager. All the stories have one thing in common: hope.

The contributors to this book vary from athletes, to psychologists, to actors and musicians. Some are very famous, others not so much but the value of each story is limitless.

The Book of Hope is broken down into the following chapters Always Hope, Acceptance, Peace, Tool Kit, Compassion, Courage, The Right Words, Inspiration, Resilience, Kindness and Connection. This is really helpful as if you need something specific you can easily jump in and out.

Within each chapter you will find a number of stories. Some of the themes which appear in the contributor's stories include, but are not limited to, mental health illnesses, loss, homophobia, racism, suicide, violence and sexual assault. Each individual tells us of the dark places they have been to. The stories are very raw (hence the trigger warning) however they also tell us how through these adversities they found hope, which in turn can provide hope for those struggling.

There are three important things I took away from this book. 1. You really are not alone. By just reading this book you will realise that there are at least 101 other people who have been to the dark side of life. 2. Even famous people struggle. In a world infatuated by the mass media and Instagram, not everyone's lives are as they seem. 3. Nothing lasts forever and hope is the most important thing. I wish I had this book as a teen and even more so wish I was able to gift this book to my sister before she gave in to her demons.

Overall, this is just another example of how Jonny Benjamin continues to break the stigma around mental health, and I would like to thank all the contributors, including Jonny and Britt themselves, for being open and honest, to try and do just that. We all need a little hope from time to time, so I would recommend all to read.

Benjamin and Pflüger have curated over 100 voices, some very well known and others not so, who all have lived experience of mental ill health, some who have had thoughts of suicide, some who have attempted suicide and some who have been bereaved by suicide. It goes without saying that these people have been to som very dark places, and it’s just heartbreaking. So readers who have been affected beware.

They have grouped these contributions into different sections including; always hope, acceptance, peace, tool kits, compassion, courage, the right words, inspiration, resilience, kindness and connection. I loved the breadth of contributors in this; there are veterans, clinicians, bankers, athletes, campaigners galore. And they’re all united in their message for anyone suffering mental health challenges - there is always hope and things will get better.

There is a lot in here - this is a resource that readers can nip into (the sections are a great help for this!), to gain someone else’s viewpoint in fighting mental health and getting better. And to see what worked for them - but remember we’re all different and different tools work for different people.

Thank you to all the contributors (including Jonny and Britt) for sharing their deeply personal stories ❤️

Recommended reading!!

I’m often drawn to books such as this where the writers share their life experiences and wisdom. What I hadn’t quite expected was such an in depth discussion about mental health and so many honest and incredible stories. I had not heard of a lot of the writers but I welcome opportunity to be introduced to them. I think this book will be immensely helpful to those who struggle with their mental health. This is much more than self care tips book. It is a really important book that digs deep and provides hope.

This book introduces you to the lived experience of 101 contributors, people whose experiences run the gamut of what it means to be human but who have all struggled with hopelessness and found reasons to hope. Rather than attempt mini reviews for each contributor, instead I will share my favourite quote from each of the book’s eleven sections.

Always Hope

“To me, hope is a gentle bridge between what is and what could be. A bridge that if crossed will lead you from desire, to belief, to knowing. Knowing that tomorrow will be different and can be better. Hope is the understanding that things will change and that life will eventually move for you, too.” - Jada Sezer

Acceptance

“This is some of the best advice I have had: to take each day as it comes. Just focus on the next hour and reach for support if you need it, from people or helplines. Don’t suffer in silence as you are never truly alone, even if it feels that way.” - Eleanor Segall

Peace

“It’s ok to not be ok. It doesn’t mean you’re weak or a bad person. Admitting you’re unwell is a sign of strength, not weakness.” - Oliver Kent

Tool Kits

“It generally feels better when you say it out loud. It enables you to reality check your thoughts and feelings, to shine a light on them and test them out, rather than keeping them hidden in the echo chamber of your mind. Above all, it gives you the chance to connect with others and to realise you are not alone.” - Benna Waites

Compassion

“For it is people who create hope; it is people who give us the strength to carry on.” - Dick Moore

Courage

“Imparting hope is profound and may just be enough to save a life.” - Erin Turner

The Right Words

“Trying to avoid it, because you’re scared of how it will make you feel, will only make things worse. So instead you let the feeling be. ‘This is me,’ you can say to yourself, ‘experiencing grief.’ Does it hurt? Yes. Will it kill you? No. Will it pass? Yes. Is it serious and important? Yes. Is it also just a feeling? Yes.” - Aaron Balick

Inspiration

“So here’s my first piece of advice: be gentle and forgiving with yourself, as if you were talking to someone you loved. It’s OK to be weak and fallible, or at least just human, to have limits. It’s OK to stop and take a moment for yourself.” - Frank Turner

Resilience

“And yet hope is determined, hope is always there, even if you can’t see it or hear it. It’s in the tiniest of moments, shining its dim light, hoping you notice it. And hope is potent stuff, you only need the smallest glimmer, the tiniest drop, to make a difference.” - Jo Love

Kindness

“‘You don’t have to wait to be in a crisis to get help,’ Leah said, thirteen soothing words that finally granted me permission to speak.” - Amy Abrahams

Connection

“Everyone’s feelings make sense once you get to know their story.” - Martin Seager

There are plenty of darkness and light analogies, things that contributors would like to tell their younger selves and many writers who mentioned the importance of good nutrition and getting enough sleep and exercise. I know we all know the importance of these in maintaining both our physical and mental health but there’s something about hearing things you already know from people with lived experience that make you want to pay attention. If they helped these people, then maybe, just maybe, they might work for you too.

Some contributions had sections that read a bit like a Hallmark card, although I’m not certain that that’s a criticism; Hallmark haven’t made bajillions by telling people things they don’t want to hear. It wasn’t always clear to me why specific contributions were included in a section.

One of my favourite contributions was from David Wiseman, whose descriptions of what life looks like from inside PTSD are some of the most authentic that I’ve ever come across. I highlighted more of David’s words than any other writer. I can’t choose a favourite passage so I’ve chosen the shortest one that I highlighted.

“Living with PTSD means having to have a busy mind because a relaxed mind will automatically fill with things you don’t want to think about. It means being tired all the time because that amount of thinking takes energy.”

Content warnings include mention of addiction, bullying, death by suicide, domestic violence, eating disorders, homophobia, mental health, racism, self harm, sexual assault, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bluebird, an imprint of Pan Macmillan, for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.

The Book of Hope by Jonny Benjamin and Britt Pfluger is a collection of diverse voices speaking about a wide variety of mental health issues both by sufferers and by the people who love them.