As I sat in the waiting area of the gymnastics studio I noticed another girl reading a book from my favorite series. As we both waited for whatever younger sibling currently tumbling around the mat we started talking. Eagerly I began to ask questions about what she liked in the book, and what other things about reading she enjoyed. She shared that her mother paid her to read a certain amount each day. This immediately sparked my interest, as I realized my great potential for earning since I easily finished at least one middle-grade book in a couple of days.
My mother was NOT on board with the idea of paying me to do my favorite hobby, explaining that the girl was being paid to motivate her to read, a thing for which I needed no external motivation. Also, she probably knew it would cost her a pretty penny to pay me, the voracious reader that I was.
I have continued to be a voracious reader in my adulthood, naturally able to read fast, comprehend well, and use many tools. I listen to audiobooks, have a Kindle Unlimited account, and am a regular library patron, both for physical and ebook options. Reading is both my preferred form of learning and escape.
Current data and studies indicate that Americans don’t read much both compared internationally and to previous generations. This is strange when you consider that books and other reading materials are more accessible than ever. Many reasons can be listed: radio, television, the internet, social media. All these things have demanded and commanded our attention for the past century, even as greater access to education and literacy has grown. Even though more people than ever know how to read, they do not choose to do so as either entertainment or escape.
Reading well requires more than just the ability to understand the way that letters form words. It requires an understanding of story and metaphor, and the ability to engage your brain’s logical and creative capacity. So far none of my children have shown the ease with which reading came to me, and none of them gravitate to reading as a way to relax. They love it when I read to them (we just finished Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), and we are figuring out what genres they like and dislike. Since they are not internally motivated to read, I use screen time as a motivation. Finish two chapters and you get 15 minutes of Minecraft.
Why should we read?
That is my children’s question. Why should I read when I could play a game with my siblings, swing in the trees, do a craft, bake cookies, or - the top choice - be on my phone? The most straightforward answer I have is so that you can learn to see the world in a new way. It could be a book of scientific facts and theories or a story from history. You can read about the world from the eyes of a black boy going to school in the 1960s or the first woman to go to space. The troubles you experience may be reflected in a fantasy land or you can wonder about possible futures, dystopian and utopian.
Good writing shows rather than tells, informs without intent to convince, and connects your thoughts to your feelings. Good books can show you how different you are from other people and make you feel less alone. Not all books are good books, not all writing is good writing. Not all ideas are good, and not everything will appeal to you. But reading different types of writing can push you out of your comfort zone, even just a little. If you wish to read only with people who view the world the exact same way that you do, it would be easy to do so. I would rather people read less than always read the same thing. And I say that as someone who has reread a great many books.
Besides there are more ways to tackle than just books. You can read magazines to learn, newspapers and websites for information and opinions, and right here on Substack. You have many options for reading read that do not require the gatekept world of publishing.
As a reader and writer, I could spend a lot of time writing about reading, because it brings me joy and wisdom. But I will exercise some self-control here to ask you a question: do you love to read?
For The Ears
One of my current favorite podcasts about books is the Overdue podcast. Andrew and Craig read old books, and new books, and cover a wide variety of genres with humor and intelligence. They recently had an episode on The Screwtape Letter by C.S. Lewis.
For the Eyes
Karen Swallow Prior has an excellent book available on Kindle Unlimited titled On Reading Well: Finding a Good Life through Great Books.
Mychal is everybody’s library friend on Instagram and I love it.
For the Taste Buds
If I had my birthday wish, it would be to read all day with plenty of snacks available, probably in the form of a charcuterie board. There should be sweet, salty, bitter, smooth, crunchy, and perfectly iced and hot drinks as my mood dictates. Our tongues have a wonderful range of tastes, so we should be savoring that variety in our lives, just like we should read a variety of writers and genres.
Do you have a preferred reading snack?
May this week bring self-control to your senses and your soul.
Yes yes i love to read, and would lije to know how to break a habit of reading 3-4 books at the time, [not literally, but I them parked by each favorite place to put up my feet and relax/ read a bit!
This is an inspiring statement making the case for reading books as a gift that never stops giving. I recently heard an episode of the Forum program on our local KQED-FM NPR station. It was titled "All the Reasons We Love to Read" and featured Shannon Read, author of "Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out". The first audience all in came from a bright and articulate 5-year old. When asked why he loves to read, he thought a minute, perked up, and blurted out "It lights up my brain!"