As head of the Panacea Service, I promise to do my best to respond to the troubles described by prescribing the books I deem most appropriate, in an artistic and benevolent manner.

As a preamble, I admit the insignificance of my expertise compared with the scope of literary possibilities, a disadvantage offset by a passion for knowledge, aesthetic forms and their bookish expressions, an ardent curiosity and an enthusiasm for sharing. My prescriptions will therefore always be necessarily incomplete, but incarnated, propitious and motivated. We’re not looking for exhaustiveness, but for the right detail, the trigger, the revelation.

I’m not a doctor, so it goes without saying that a consultation with the Panacea Service in no way replaces a medical consultation.

I’m not a doctor, I’m “the person in charge of the Panacea Service”, a character made up of books who suggests the reading of books, in a creative and performative approach. However, I do respect an ethic inspired by that of the medical world.

Thus, I undertake to respect the strictest confidentiality. As I am admitted to the privacy of individuals, I will not divulge any secrets that may be entrusted to me, nor will I divulge any information about the troubles in question.

Even under duress, I will not use my knowledge against the laws of humanity.

I will not mislead anyone.

I will not allow myself to be influenced by publishers, friendships, greed or the pursuit of glory.

I will preserve the independence necessary to accomplish my work. I will not undertake anything that exceeds my skills. I will maintain and perfect them to serve my artistic and relational mission.

I will study all the possibilities of book treatments, without taking my personal preferences into account. I can prescribe books I don’t like, or by authors I don’t like, if it’s in the reader’s interest. There are no language limits – as long as the reader has access to them – or literary genre limits.

If I can’t promise to solve the troubles, I commit myself to working on it through my prescriptions in the direction of a vital intensity that favors a full and conscious use of time, filled with discoveries and emotions.

May life in all its generosity be kind to me if I am faithful to my promises; and may a storm of book returns and other curses fall upon me if I fail to keep them.