Shannon Reed

On bookworms, libraries and just one more page before lights out 

Why we read

All around perplex at how bad this was. It definitely feels more targeted towards younger readers and people who are Very Much Online rather than people who either want to explore literature outside of their comfort zone or do not subscribe to the idea that all reading should be fun. And this is OK, except that a book that is intended as a love letter to readers ends up presenting a very singular experience.

But I must confess that at the end of the day, the biggest obstacle here is that Reed and myself are fundamentally different people. I do not wish her ill and understand where she is coming from; I think her heart is in the right place. But everything she has written here comes out as only surface-level as it never tries to expand or query any point it makes. It is bizarre in how incurious it comes off as.

And I think that may be the most fundamental of all issues. Reed argues that reading should be fun and that we should nurture this in order to nurture readers. I, however, am of the opinion that nurturing curiosity is a much more worthwhile, long-lasting and rewarding endeavour and foundational for many readers, even Reed herself (as described in the book).

All around perplex at how bad this was. It definitely feels more targeted towards younger readers and people who are Very Much Online rather than people who either want to explore literature outside of their comfort zone or do not subscribe to the idea that all reading should be fun. And this is OK, except that a book that is intended as a love letter to readers ends up presenting a very singular experience.

But I must confess that at the end of the day, the biggest obstacle here is that Reed and myself are fundamentally different people. I do not wish her ill and understand where she is coming from; I think her heart is in the right place. But everything she has written here comes out as only surface-level as it never tries to expand or query any point it makes. It is bizarre in how incurious it comes off as.

And I think that may be the most fundamental of all issues. Reed argues that reading should be fun and that we should nurture this in order to nurture readers. I, however, am of the opinion that nurturing curiosity is a much more worthwhile, long-lasting and rewarding endeavour and foundational for many readers, even Reed herself (as described in the book).

Why we read On bookworms, libraries and just one more page before lights out

Reviews