Suleika Jaouad Explores the Art of Journaling inThe Book of Alchemy(Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Suleika Jaouad and the cover of ‘The Book of Alchemy’.Photo:Nadia Albano; Hogarth

Nadia Albano; Hogarth

Suleika Jaouadhas a new, meaningful book on the way.PEOPLE can exclusively share the cover for the writer’s forthcoming book,The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life. Jaouad’s newest release will be published in spring 2025 through Random House, and is centered on the creative benefits of journaling.Jaouad, like many others, has long kept a journal as a way to mark her life’s experiences, noting the practice has carried her through illness, heartbreak and uncertainty. The author says that the process has been a crucial one for her, and that her latest book is a way to share that impact with others.“For me, journaling has been a life-altering and even a life-saving practice — it’s how I make sense of this wild ride that is being human,” Jaouad tells PEOPLE in an exclusive quote. “The Book of Alchemycontains everything I’ve learned about how journaling can help us transform life’s interruptions and tap into that mystical trait that exists in every human: creativity."

Hogarth

The Book of Alchemyargues that journaling is an “essential tool” for navigating life’s challenges, per the book’s synopsis, and will serve as both a guide and combination for “those looking for a way to navigate the in-between.”

Suleika Jaouad.Nadia Albano

Nadia Albano

Jaouad and Batistespoke to PEOPLE in 2023, ahead of the release of Batiste’s Oscar-nominated documentaryAmerican Symphony. The film documented a year in Batiste’s life, as well as Jaouad’s as sheunderwent cancer treatment. The writer emphasized the importance of seeing positivity as a choice, even amidst difficult circumstances.

“There are a lot of things that happen in life that can leave you down on your knees,” Jaouad said. “I want people to know that they have agency, that they have a voice about how they meet those difficult moments, be it with love or creativity or with your laughter.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.In addition toThe Book of Alchemy, Jaouad is the bestselling author of the memoirBetween Two Kingdoms, as well as the award-winning columnLife, InterruptedforThe New York Times. Jaouad also created the global projectThe Isolation Journals, which focuses on fostering creativity and community during hard times.The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Lifewill hit shelves on April 22, 2025 and is now available for preorder, wherever books are sold.

source: people.com