Epilepsy in the literature

In 1995, UNESCO declared April 23rd "World Book Day," a global celebration of reading, books, and authors' rights. The UN cultural and educational organization was inspired by the Catalan custom of giving roses and books on the name day of St. George, the national saint.

We would like to use this day as an opportunity to reflect on the significance of epilepsy in literature. Of course, there are famous writers, such as Fyodor Dostoyevsky, who have addressed their epilepsy in their works. But there are also a large number of literary works that also address the topic without the same prominent authors.

Peter Wolf has been studying the resonance of epilepsy in literature for many years. He is certain that this reflects epilepsy in society—even over time. He notes that recent literature paints a significantly more positive picture of people with epilepsy than was the case 30 or more years ago.