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When the editors of MCB meet, we inevitably get to talking beyond the scope of the magazine. One of the wonderful things about a community with shared experiences is having resources that understand some of the complicating factors of living a chronic migraine life. One topic that comes up as both a struggle and a balm is books. Many of us regularly spend long hours inside in need of stimulation. Unfortunately, there are times when the physical requirements of focusing on a text can be too much for many people. Audiobooks can be a great solution for these instances, but it can be a risk without knowing if the audio contains potentially triggering background music, sound effects, or other problematic noises. We have for you here a list of our favorite books for consume while having an attack. You’ll find info on books to read and listen to, and we hope you’ll add your own recommendations in the comments!


Editor’s name: Judith Klausner, Arts & Expression Editor
Title of book: Miss Marple
Author: Agatha Christie
Is it part of a series? A series, including both short stories and short novels.
Good for reading/listening/both? I would imagine they would be good for both, but I have only read them, so I can only personally speak to that!
What makes the book(s) a fun read/listen? Every story is a new whodunnit, and we get to watch a “fluffy” elderly country lady outsmart all of the young male police force and solve every crime. I find it deeply satisfying.
What might make the book(s) a particularly good fit for the chronic migraine lifestyle? The stories are broken into small chunks that are easily “digestible” even when my brain is being fuzzy. I love mysteries but have easily triggered anxiety, which is a hard match. The Miss Marple stories fit into the category of “cozy mysteries.” I just learned about the existence of this category, and it has been a game-changer! The Miss Marple stories, like other cozy mysteries, are very low on common anxiety triggers.
Any warnings? These stories were written between 1927 and 1930. Unfortunately, they do have some casual sexism, racism, and a large helping of classism.


Editor’s name: Amanda Ingrassia, Editor in Chief
Title of book: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Is it part of a series? Yes
Good for reading/listening/both? Very good for listening. I like the dolphinbooks edition. The narrator has a deep voice that is easy on the ears
What makes the book(s) a fun read/listen? The stories are, in fairness, somewhat ridiculous. You’ll never actually be able to guess the end. But if you just come along for the ride, it’s entertaining.
What might make the book(s) a particularly good fit for the chronic migraine lifestyle? The stories are just long enough to draw you in, but not so long that you get lost if you fall asleep (just relisten!).Also, you can listen for free on Spotify!
Any warnings? Written in the late 1800s so steeped in classism and racism. There is also casual drug use referenced frequently and occasional sexism.


Editor’s name: Amanda Ingrassia, Editor in Chief
Title of book: The Swiss Family Robinson
Author: Johann David Wyss
Is it part of a series? No
Good for reading/listening/both? Listening
What makes the book(s) a fun read/listen? It’s a classic adventure story of a family settling a new island home. They find new plants and animal and develop the island into their own personal paradise.
What might make the book(s) a particularly good fit for the chronic migraine lifestyle? It’s slow and repetitive. While this might sound boring, it’s done in a rather charming historical way. It’s easy to follow along even with horrid pain. Plus, again, free on Spotify! The narrator from Wordscape is easy to listen to, and the recording doesn’t have any sound effects or musical interludes.
Any warnings? Written in the early 1800s, this book has a hefty dose of religion (classical christianity) and sexism (mother does everything).


Editor’s name: Amanda Ingrassia, Editor in Chief
Title of book: A Game of Thrones
Author: George RR Martin
Is it part of a series? Yes: A Song of Fire and Ice
Good for reading/listening/both? Reading
What makes the book(s) a fun read/listen? It’s an epic story of kingdoms with fantasy elements interwoven with what is real so that the entire story feels plausible, drawing you in and through their lengths
What might make the book(s) a particularly good fit for the chronic migraine lifestyle? It’s exciting enough to push through the pain to find out what happens. Probably not so good to listen to (I’d get lost myself) but good for reading. Check the library for the book or an ebook (so that you can make the font bigger!)
Any warnings? Graphic violence, blunt sex and sexuality, incest, a ridiculous amount of death (seriously– don’t get attached to any of the characters)


Editor’s name: Amanda Ingrassia, Editor in Chief
Title of book: Shiver
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Is it part of a series? Yes: The Wolves of Mercy Falls (But it stands alone just fine)
Good for reading/listening/both? Listening
What makes the book(s) a fun read/listen? This is a young adult romance based in werewolf lore. It’s teenage angst and hormones, but the audiobook has good narrators that bring you steadily through the story
What might make the book(s) a particularly good fit for the chronic migraine lifestyle? It’s easy to follow (i.e. great for migraine brain fog) and just interesting enough to keep you engaged even with pain. The narrators for the audio book have good voice quality for noise sensitive days and there aren’t any surprise sound effects or musical interludes
Any warnings? One of the main characters is a survivor of physical child abuse (and arguably all of the characters have awful parents) and has PTSD flashbacks


Editor’s name: Jenn Heater, Resources and Advocacy Editor
Title of book: The Alice Network
Author: Kate Quinn
Is it part of a series? No
Good for reading/listening/both? Listening
What makes the book(s) a fun read/listen? It is told in two different time periods by two different narrators and the stories intertwine.
What might make the book(s) a particularly good fit for the chronic migraine lifestyle? It is a very engaging listen. The narrator draws you in and makes you feel like you are part of two very different worlds.
Any warnings? Yes. It is a wartime book and there is a lot of graphic content in the book. If this is not your kind of thing don’t come near. But I’m a big fan of historical fiction and the role females played that is often left out of the narrative in our history, so I enjoyed this.


Editor’s name: Jenn Heater, Resources and Advocacy Editor
Title of book: Prep
Author: Curtis Sittenfeld
Is it part of a series? No
Good for reading/listening/both? Both
What makes the book(s) a fun read/listen? It’s the story of a teen who decides she wants to leave her family in the midwest and go to an elite ‘Prep’ school.
What might make the book(s) a particularly good fit for the chronic migraine lifestyle? It deals with feelings of loneliness and fitting in, something that most teens deal/dealt with and I think many people with chronic disease deal with daily.
Any warnings? Some sexual content.


Editor’s name: Jenn Heater, Resources and Advocacy Editor
Title of book: The Westing Game
Author: Ellen Raskin
Is it part of a series? No
Good for reading/listening/both? Reading
What makes the book(s) a fun read/listen? This is actually a book I have read dozens of times since I was a child, and I recommend it to people with kids but I still enjoy it. It is a mystery and has a ton of vibrant characters in play.
What might make the book(s) a particularly good fit for the chronic migraine lifestyle? Just a fun read.
Any warnings? No

Do you have a book to recommend? Please leave a comment and share with the community!


Judith Klausner
Judith is a Chronic Migraine sufferer and artist with a love for small, intricate, and overlooked things. She is the author of Noah the Narwal: A Tale of Ups and Downs, and has had her work featured in various exhibits and publications.