Top Ten reasons why I love to read

I’m joining the Top Ten Linky with Artsy Reader Girl this week to give 10 reasons why I love to read.

So here goes…

1. Relaxation – there is nothing more relaxing than sitting by an open fire reading an unputdownable book. I feel like all my worries and cares are melting away as I am transported to another world. I just read a book (which I will blog about this week) about “The Art of Rest” and after surveying 18,000 people on what activities they find most relaxing, reading comes in first!
2. Escapism – speaking of being transported to another world, the wonder of reading is that you get to visit Pemberley or the Capitol, you get to live more than nine lives, you live the lives of the protagonists, you get to be Jo March running through the rain to kiss her Professor, you get to walk the Apalachian Trail with Bill Bryson, or you get to take caution peeks at some areas of life you hope you never experience like poor Alice.
3. It takes me back – I read a lot as a child, sitting alone in libraries, snuggled up in bed, laying in the sun, happy times, and so reading takes me back to a simpler time, a time before work and boys and even before Covid, a time where you only had to go to school for 6 hours, then the day was yours.
4. Learning – I read a lot of non-fiction because I love to learn and I always want to improve myself, so every book I read, I feel like I have learned a tiny nugget or two, which helps me get closer to that better person I will someday be.
5. Compassion – when you read about someone who is not you, it helps you to understand people and the world that much better; it puts things into context, it gives you insight into other lands (some of them made up) and shows you what other people are like; you might learn what it is like to be inside Eleonor Oliphant’s head and therefore have more compassion for those around us who may be appear to be a little odd. You may have compassion for the Tatooist at Auschwitz who was only doing his job to save his own life.

6. Possibility – I love the possibility and anticipation of a new book, with each opening of the first page it is possible that this will become your new favourite book. There are 130 million unique books in the world; and for me to be able to read them all I would have to read 1.7 million books per year. Last year I read 73 books so I am a little shy of that 😉 but there is possibility in that number; there will also be more books and the possibility of beautiful prose and delicious language and fantastical journeys.
7. Travel – reading enables you to travel (in your mind at least) to every country in the world and to space. I’ve walked on Mars and grown potatoes with Mark Watney, I’ve been rained on in Forks with Bella, I’ve been to Ireland many times to visit the Walsh family and I’ve been to District 12 in Panem.
8. Fun – reading is fun right?
9. Bookshelves are beautiful – I love a bookshelf full of books, it is sexy and it is beautiful and it is knowledge and power, I love bookshelves full of books.
10. Multi-tasking – this is limited to audiobooks, but when I am listening to a book, I am able to multi-task and whatever I am doing, just became less boring. Because I hate being bored, and I hate doing housework, I don’t particularly love walking, or cooking, so when I am doing something boring, I pop in my airpods and off I go…transported to another world.

Which one of these 10 resonates most with you? Why do you love to read?