Why do you read?
There's only one wrong answer.
I talk a lot about reading in this newsletter. While I know not everyone enjoys a big stack of library holds the way I do, I keep writing about books because I believe anyone can be a reader for the exact right book in the exact right format for them.
Reading is the best medium we have for entering and learning from someone else’s experience and for being shaped by great stories. There are so many reasons to read, and I think the only one that I’d contest is the “should” reason. If you’re not a reader because you dread the books you think you “should” read, please let go of that pressure and see what happens.
What’s a good reason to read? I’m glad you asked.
Fun!
The right book for you can be as entertaining as a TV show. I rediscovered can’t-put-it-down fiction last year, and it revolutionized my reading life.
Connection
Stories let us enter other people’s lives – whether you’re reading nonfiction or fiction. Books connect me to the people I’m reading about as well as to other readers. I love getting book recommendations and later being able to tell the person that I enjoyed that book too, and (obviously) I’m that much more excited about a great new read when I know I can recommend it to a specific friend or in this newsletter.
Escapism
There are so many unhealthy escapes in this world, but I think reading is the most nourishing one we have. Whenever I’m going through a difficult time and need to either get perspective or completely escape being myself for a while, I turn to books.
Sense of accomplishment
I try not to lean too hard on this reason to read, but when we live in a time where our attention is fractured in so many different directions, the time and focus that it takes to complete a book, any book, should absolutely give you a sense of accomplishment.
Identity
The right story at the right time can change your life. I know the books I’ve read over the years have shaped me as a person and helped me to embrace change, to grow and heal, to break up old narratives and create better new ones.
Whether you want to read one book or five books or 200 books this year, I hope you find the right title(s) for your reading life. If you enjoy looking through book recommendations to see what catches your eye, consider checking out the first season of my mini podcast, Reading Like an Adult. For 12 episodes, I explored a different reading theme month by month for what I called a “year of fiction.” You can find each episode and the show notes with every book title linked below.
As always, happy reading!