Why I Love to Read, and Why You Should, Too

I don’t think it’s a secret that I love reading and writing. This morning, I thought about why. What is it exactly that draws me to the written word?

I’ve come to the conclusion that it has a lot to do with the intimacy of reading. Writing a book is typically a solitary activity. An author sits down and fleshes out his or her thoughts on paper, pouring his or her soul into a passion project, unsure of whether the text will be published or even read by anyone else. It’s a terribly romantic notion.

When I read, I’m also by myself just as the author was. My mother fondly calls me “socially awkward,” so it’s only natural that I take refuge in the self-imposed solitude of reading. It’s my nose in my book. For a short period of time I tune out the world around me; my friends and family know better than to disturb Roz when she’s engrossed in a book. Between those book covers is a universe in which only I and the characters reside. To quote Jack Kelly in “Newsies,” “I’m alone but I’m not lonely” when I read.

Reading’s also great because, though you read alone, you can discuss books with others. I find my kindred spirits through discussions about literature. In these conversations, the experience shifts from solitary to one of solidarity. When I meet someone who likes Harry Potter, I immediately feel a kinship (until he or she reveals that he or she doesn’t know who Peeves is or has never heard of the potions part of the search for the sorcerer’s stone – movie fans, bah.) If a man were to quote John Keats to me, I’d marry him on the spot.

I have a habit of keeping a book in my purse/backpack under the pretense that I may find myself with some free time. But, the truth is that I keep a book with me because it serves as a sort of talisman to ward off the banality of reality. No matter what is happening during my day, having a book with me as a reminder that there is another world into which I can escape. Rough day at the office? A Moveable Feast allows me to wander the streets of 1920s Paris after a day full of sitting at the desk. Boy troubles? Wuthering Heights will quickly put my heartache into perspective because no guy could do to me what Heathcliff did to Catherine. Existentially questioning my own existence? As I Lay Dying will help with that.

As readers, we travel through time as we come to understand the thoughts and ideas of the writer. Generations are linked by texts, oceans are crossed, languages un-barriered. We can communicate with someone who lived hundreds of years before us. We partake in a conversation with someone we don’t know, have never and will never meet. Granted, this dialogue is relatively one-sided, but I believe that every reader brings something to the text even if the author never gets to hear the response. Just in picking up a book, we’re engaging in that communication and opening the doors for a more direct dialogue. That’s cool whether it’s a novel, poem, pamphlet, diary, whatever. (Maybe in 50 years, our text messages will be treated in the same way, which is an excellent reason to use proper grammar when you text. We can’t give future generations the impression that we were grammatically incompetent.)

This time traveling is even more interesting when it comes to writers who gained fame after death. Posthumous publication or appreciation of a work is all at once sad and exciting. It’s sad because that author didn’t get the chance to revel in his or her literary glory. It’s exciting because that work finally found its audience; the world caught up with it.

Take this blog post: I’m sharing the thoughts I have on a random Thursday, and you lovely readers are interacting with my ideas. Lucky for me, you have the ability to respond to this post right now. I get immediate feedback, which I pray will be positive. But, who knows? Maybe you’re reading this in the future after I’ve become a world-renowned author whose every piece of writing is being archived, even her blog posts. In that case, I want you to know that I still appreciate that you’re interacting with my text and open to a dialogue. Know that I value this written communication just as much as you do.

John Keats’ “Bright Star”

Everyone should have at least one poem memorized. Whether it’s a simple Seuessian rhyme, a Shel Silverstein poem or a Shakespearean sonnet, storing beautiful verse in one’s mind is an excellent use of time and brain space. Plus, it’s a neat thing to pull out at parties when the conversation gets a little dull.

Throughout my years, I’ve had to store poems for various reasons: school poetry contests, projects, personal edification.

My most recent poem memorization was John Keats’ “Bright Star.”

Keats does a magnificent job of painting an incredibly vivid picture, using elements of nature to encompass his unyielding adoration for his loved one – Fanny Brawne for the purposes of my imagination.

Do yourself a favor and click the link above. I’ll give you a few minutes to read Keats’ masterpiece, then kindly return to this post.

“Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art” – the star becomes a symbol of unwavering devotion as it hovers alone in the night to brighten the darkness. He yearns to be as devoted as a star – how beautiful! Keats continues by personifying the star as “nature’s patient, sleepless eremite.” (I did have to look up the definition of eremite when I was memorizing this – a hermit or recluse.)

Keats delves into the star’s hermitage, describing scenes that take place on earth while the star hangs in the sky, not participating but only watching with patience. The star sees the flowing waters as they absolve the earth of its sins and the pillows of soft snow that rest on the landscape – and yet the star waits.

Then, in my favorite line of verse, Keats is “awake for ever in a sweet unrest” when to lose his love would bring him to his death.

Keats is romantic but in the best sense of the word. He reveals his unwavering yearning to be completely devoted while achieving a sweet simplicity, not in verse but in tone and theme. That simplicity is what I love most.

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore

Every once in a while a book will enter my life at the perfect time. Anne of Green Gables illustrated the powers of friendship, positive thinking and a loving family. Harry Potter came into being just as I was facing my real-life Draco Malfoy. The poetry of John Keats taught me that beauty could be found in suffering. As I Lay Dying reminded me that different people have differing viewpoints about the same event, and that’s okay.

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore had a similar effect. The novel centers on the mysterious happenings of the titular bookstore as told by Clay, the newest employee of the ancient bookseller. The book expertly intertwines the digital and printed worlds, emphasizing the strengths of each and encouraging the reader to embrace new technologies while appreciating old ones, namely books. Penumbra encouraged me not to fret, that these two seemingly separate spheres can work together, that not too long ago a book was considered cutting-edge technology.

Robin Sloan writes in a way that puts his reader at ease. He presented deep, cerebral, abstract concepts using a conversational tone, a witty sense of humor and hilarious pop culture references, which made the novel a pleasure to read; I tore through it in about 5 airplane-filled hours. It was a breath of fresh air. As easy as it was to read, Sloan’s story relies a little too heavily on convenient plot twists, making the novel feel at times like a happy-go-lucky romcom. But that’s okay.Just recently, I decided to go back to school to pursue English literature. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore assured me that I was making the right decision. Even if, God forbid, books themselves go extinct and are replaced with Kindle and iPads, stories will remain forev

A week after reading, I am still thinking about Penumbra, mulling over the novel’s themes. I love books like this one, books that stick with you even after you have regretfully read the last page.er and play integral roles in our lives. These are things that should be fostered, cherished and preserved for future generations to appreciate and explore.

 

Have you read this novel? What did you think, especially concerning the relationships Sloan creates between the ideas of the printed page and the webpage?