Quote of the day

"Beware of the stories you read or tell; subtly, at night, beneath the waters of consciousness, 

they are altering your world. "

Ben Okri, poet and novelist (born 1959)

Do stories really have this much power?

Have you ever noticed that your mood changes according to the book that you are reading?  Perhaps even the quality of your sleep is affected?

When I saw this quote it really caught my attention because I had realized that I was really cranky while I read "The Illegal".  But while I have been reading "Girl Runner", I have slept beautifully. Both books are about runners. 
If I wake up in the night, I think of Aganetha Smart, the protagonist of "Girl Runner" and it soothes me back to sleep. 

Any thoughts on this?