Thank you HTP Books #partner, for the advanced copy of Why We Read in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Hanover Square Press
Published: February 6, 2024
Summary:
A hilarious and incisive exploration of the joys of reading from a teacher, bibliophile and Thurber Prize finalist
We read to escape, to learn, to find love, to feel seen. We read to encounter new worlds, to discover new recipes, to find connection across difference, or simply to pass a rainy afternoon. No matter the reason, books have the power to keep us safe, to challenge us, and perhaps most importantly, to make us more fully human.
Shannon Reed, a longtime teacher, lifelong reader, and New Yorker contributor, gets it. With one simple goal in mind, she makes the case that we should read for pleasure above all else. In this whip-smart, laugh-out-loud-funny collection, Reed shares surprising stories from her life as a reader and the poignant ways in which books have impacted her students. From the varied novels she cherishes ( Gone Girl , Their Eyes Were Watching God ) to the ones she didn’t ( Tess of the d’Urbervilles ), Reed takes us on a rollicking tour through the comforting world of literature, celebrating the books we love, the readers who love them, and the surprising ways in which literature can transform us for the better.
My thoughts:
I love books about books and reading and this collection of essays on reading hit the spot. Using her own experience, from her childhood to her teaching literature and creative writing, the author shows us the importance of reading and why we should read for pleasure above all else.
Overall, the book is quite humorous, and I found it to be very easy to make my way through it. It’s one of those books where you read one of the essays and can’t help but reflect on your own reading journey. I loved the many references to the books I’ve either already read or have on my endless tbr. But at the same time, it’s also infused with so much life. There are essays, or sometimes just lists and diatribes, on why it’s ok to get lost in a book and let everything else fall away. Some of my favorite essays were: “Because Failure Is Most Definitely an Option,” “For Comfort,” “To Feel Superior,” and “To Be Shocked” though I really did find them all to be quite interesting and worth the read.
This is the type of book that I want on my shelf, near my desk so I can pull out to reread when I need a quick laugh or just need some motivation. It’s that type of book. And I’m glad I read it and have it to reread.
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