Publisher: Blackstone Pub
Genre: Nonfiction
Source: Library ( audio )

Goodreads: 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.

Ope’s Opinion: Let me begin with, this book is titled incorrectly – It is not about why WE read – it is all about why this author reads. Next, is the incorrect statement in the synopsis which says this book is hilarious – I found no humor in the book at all. Third, the author keeps saying everyone should read for pleasure, then talks about all her higher educational reading that makes a “regular” read ( that is who I am ) feel like my reading is below par.

It is sad to say the best the part of the book is the cover.