Many of those whose profession involves listening to others' stories are aware of the relevance of imaginative literature to their work. However, they may rarely have the time to explore for themselves the resources available. This book offers itself as a guide both to the wealth of texts available, and to ways of reading that extend the reader-listener's engagement with fiction and poetry. Ben Knights argues that reflective reading requires us to work at both analytical and empathic levels. Literary reading develops the capacity to play in language and to explore one's own relation to narrative.

Sections on language, on narrative, and on poetry talk the interesting reader through a variety of ways of reading. These sections are followed by a reader's guide to a selection of relevant material. Throughout, the book seeks to make links between the interest of counsellors and others in language, in narrative, and in symbolism, and the tools that those who study literature have evoked.