Well-Read: Why We Love to Read

With so many things competing for our attention throughout the day, what is it that makes us set aside time to sit down with a book? What is it about books? Why do we love to read?  

I contemplated the answers to these questions while on a drive last Friday, and decided that I would do a bit of research. I cleverly chose to go where the books can be found - a bookstore and a library! Who doesn’t love a field trip? And not that I needed an excuse to venture out, but the looming deadline didn’t hurt! I found that if you walk around with a little yellow pad and ask people questions, they’ll pretty much tell you anything. It’s good to see that there is still some trust in this sometimes-scary world.  

At a local bookseller, I spoke to a mother of four who was in the middle of a phone conversation with her teenage son. The mother seemed a little bit irritated, as it was most likely the end of a very long day. This did not deter me; I asked her what it was that she loved about reading. All at once, her face brightened! She told me that she gets so into the book she is reading and finds it very relaxing. She went on to tell me that she has books everywhere in her home. “Reading is my great escape,” she tells me. 

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I also surveyed some of my biggest readers to find out their take on why we read. Michele A. counters the escape theory. 

“As the summer approaches, the tendency is to think of books as an ‘escape.’ Good writing is so much more than that. Good writing makes us feel. Regardless of whatever other motivation, the desire to feel is what keeps us coming back, what makes us pick up the next book as soon as we have finished the first.

Read to escape? Or not to escape?

“I don’t have anything to escape from – what are all these people escaping from?” asks one of my participants. “I just like to read, it’s something I feel. I like to laugh, to think and want to share good books with others. “ 

Lisa Tener, book-writing coach writes, “I read for a living, so when I read for fun it has to do something for me – make me laugh… enlighten me and make me grow.” 

Lezli P. shares that reading is the “best form of procrastination.” She also loves to read because “it’s the perfect opportunity to share – no, I’m not talking about sharing books, rather sharing the title of a great book and then the reward that comes from knowing you made someone happy with the suggested book.” 

Phyllis F. writes that her mom always said, “You are never alone if you have a book.” 

From Susan K.: “I relish the thought of sitting down with a new book.” She continues by saying that if she finds out years later that the author has written a sequel she “gets to renew my friendship with the characters.” 

Going on vacation, not waiting for the movie...

From Leona M. : “Reading books is like going on a vacation.”

When David H. was asked why he loves to read - “I don’t want to wait to see the movie” was his response. 

Nancy R. shares that “I am so lucky that I love to read, and that I can read. Paper, digital, audio books –I love it all! Reading is a great treasure of our lives.” 

Loretta N. loves to read for “…the fantasy, horror, sadness, mystery, love, humor…” 

Books taking over the bedroom

Back at the library, there were two young girls sitting on the floor in the mystery section. I sat down and posed the question to them. They took turns telling me what voracious readers they each are and one even admitted that the books were taking over her bedroom. 

“I am able to read about things that the characters are doing that I would never be able to do,” one of the girls said to me. I wanted to ask what types of things those would be, but I was there as a reporter, not in as the motherly type. 

As I traveled about with my current read (The Arrivals) a woman who wanted to know what I was reading approached me. We talked about our favorite books, and of course I told her about this column and asked if she’d like to comment. What she loves about books is that it’s something she does privately - getting to read something by which she might ordinarily be embarrassed.  

I have always been connected to my books and have so many wonderful memories of hours spent reading whether at home, at the library or around a pool. I will always be adding way more books to my shelves than will be humanly possible to read. When I am in the middle of a terrific read I truly look forward to that part of the day when I can reconnect with the story. Reading is something that I do for me, a gift I give to myself, where being engrossed in a story leaves no room to think about anything else. I want to be “in” the story and that’s exactly where I can be found! 

Why do you read?