"In reality, every reader, while he is reading, is the reader of his own self. The writer's work is merely a kind of optical instrument, which he offers to the reader to permit him to discern what, without the book, he would perhaps never have seen in himself. The reader's recognition in his own self of what the book says is the proof of its truth".
- Marcel Proust, Le temps retrouvé
If you have never read a book, then you are missing out. I'm not talking about books you read as a kid. "Green Eggs and Ham" or "Charlotte's Web," while they are amazing starter novels, once you get to at least 8th grade those books should be in the attic, not on your bookshelf. Don't get me wrong, reading is not for everyone, however if you've never even attempted to read a book for pleasure, how would you ever know? I truly didn't start to appreciate books until my junior year in high school. I realized there were wisdom, whimsy, and adventures waiting for me outside of the forced readings of English class. There were people to meet, places to see, and words to digest, and I was not going to miss that opportunity.
So, let's begin:
1. You can travel the world
Its the cheapest, safest, and easiest way to travel. All you have to do is open a book and read. I've been to Pamplona, Spain (a.k.a. the setting for the novel "The Sun Also Rises"), Amarna, Egypt ("Nefertiti"), Kyoto, Japan ("Memoirs of a Geisha") and so on and so forth. Once you truly dive into a book your mind simply takes you to that place. Once I finish a chapter or finish the book, I go into asphyxia for a while, not knowing where or who I am. That's the power of books for ya! Therefore, if you are broke, or a student, or just don't like planes, this is the best way to travel. A book is your passport and travel guide to the world.
2. You'll start to using phrases like "saucy pedantic wretch.."
Well maybe not, but best believe your vocabulary will increase exponentially! If you're looking to insult your friends without them knowing what it means, crack open a book (I would advise calling them a "bovine lummox", its always been a favorite of mine). However, don't get carried away, you don't want to end up sounding like Siri, or something.
3. Reading reduces stress
I know when I'm having a rough day all I want is to lay in the bed and sulk. What better way to do that, than with a book? I get to be someone else for a short period of time, and out of reality (See #1). There are gobs of studies and statistics that show that reading slows down the heart rate and eases tension in the muscles. Pretty cool, right? Especially for someone who has anxiety issues.
4. Reading improves memory
If you are like me and have short term, medium term, and long term memory loss (pretty sure "medium term" doesn't exist), then books should be and will be your best friend. Maryanne Wolf, the author of "Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain," explains that since reading gives you more time to think, there is a "unique pause button for comprehension and insight". The benefits of this "pause" keeps your memory keen and your learning capacity active. Whereas with "talking, watching a film or listening to an audio tape, you rarely press pause".
5. Reading helps to discover and invent a better you
Reading develops our wit, our creativity, and honestly our entire consciousness. The copious amounts of perspectives and lives we read about give us an opportunity to have experiences that we might not get to have, while allowing us to learn the life skills and lessons that entails.
Alas! I will close with this quote, because Gustave Flaubert says it way better than I ever could:
"Do not read, as children do, to amuse yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live".
