I'd Rather Be Reading

Book 17 of my 2020 Reading Challenge

read from March 4 - 12

I'd Rather Be Reading:

the Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life

by Anne Bogel

Summary (via the book jacket)

published 2018

Reading isn't just a way to pass the time - it's a lifestyle. Books shape, define, and enchant us. They are part of who we are and we can't imagine life without them. In this collection of charming and relatable reflections, beloved blogger and author Anne Bogel leads you to remember the book that first hooked you, the place where you first fell in love with reading, and all the books and moments afterward that helped make you the reader you are today.

My Opinion

5 stars

This wasn't like any book I've read before because it's all about reading but not in an educational, pompous way.  It's about the actual love of the act of reading and the connection to it even if the material we're reading isn't always the best. It made me think of what I enjoyed the most about my time working in a library - being surrounded by fellow readers and having a community for an activity that is mostly solitary (which is interesting since the fact that it's solitary is part of the reason I enjoy it so much).

It's a cute little book that I'm glad I got from the library and was the perfect companion to read in spurts as I waited for kids.  I've been in a bit of a reading slump so it was a great reminder of why I love reading.

"Bookworm Problems" and "The Readers I Have Been" were my favorites.

A Few Quotes from the Book

"I feel certain of this: I wouldn't be the person I am today if I weren't a reader. I don't just mean because I enjoy reading or spend so much time with books. I mean that from an early age, and without consciously intending to, the ideas I got from books formed the interior architecture of my mind."

"When we share our favorite titles, we can't help but share ourselves as well. Shakespeare said the eyes are the windows to the soul, but we readers know one's bookshelves reveal just as much."