“Personal and fun, Anne Bogel’s essay collection is a self-portrait in books–weaving together all the readers she has been. I’d Rather Be Reading is her winsome musings on books, not just as a way to enjoy a good story, but as a way to become a whole person.”
NO MAJOR SPOILERS
Reading this book was like having a conversation with a fellow reader very very similar to me and brought back a lot of memories of my reading journey.
From checking out more library books than I could carry by myself to sprawling on a divan with all of them next to me during school vacations to the present when as a parent, I still cannot resist book fairs at my child’s school and have two separate library memberships in addition to scores of unread books on my shelves and e reader, some of my most cherished memories revolve around books.
I related so much to the bookish feelings of the author as she spoke about wanting to tell people she didn’t like a popular book and controlling the urge, re-reading a favourite book and finding new nuances that weren’t there years ago, wondering which book to name as a favourite, taking too many books while going on a trip, finding someone who becomes a book twin, the sheer joy of talking about a good book and so much more.
When those closest to you be it family or friends don’t read or not as much as you, there is a hesitation in really sharing the depth of love you have for the written word! The joy of starting a book that grips you immediately and makes you impatient to get back to it, how natural it feels to stay up till 2 am to finish that unputdownable book, the satisfaction you derive from a glance at your overflowing bookshelves… These are emotions that need a person who has experienced all of this themselves to fully appreciate them.
Books about books and reading have always drawn me and reading this one reinforced the reason why.
Reviewed by:
Priya Prakash
Added 2nd July 2020
