Hi all, it’s been a while since I last posted a Sunday Bookish Discussion. I have had a hugely busy schedule lately—there were three Jewish holidays back to back, which involved a lot of cooking and other time consuming activities. On top of that, I’ve had a lot on my plate with my health issues and caring for my elderly mom, plus the doggos, and one of them passed this week after being hit by a car. This is my life summed up in a meme:

After some thought, I was still struggling to come up with a topic. BTW if any of you have topic ideas that you’d like to see, let me know! After thinking about it fruitlessly for hours, I just went with the first thing that came to mind: why I read. I’m going to structure this discussion differently, because I want to hear from you guys. Also, because there isn’t exactly a topic we can discuss in the usual way. Mainly because a) if you’re reading this, then you’re most likely also a reader and have your own reasons to read, and b) I always try to envision both sides, but I’m never going to encourage someone not to read. 

Instead, I’m going to share a few of my favorite reasons why I read, and hope to hear back from you about why you read, so I’m not just chatting into the void. 

Reason #1: Escapism. I can’t say enough about this reason when the world feels like everything has turned upside down. I can just pick up a book and forget about my chronic illnesses and pain. I don’t feel bored when I’m reading a great book. Everything else just falls away.

Reason #2: People. This might surprise you, but I’m not naturally a people person. I love spending time by myself, and often feel drained when I have to interact too much. If I don’t feel like peopling, I can just bring a physical book with me or headphones so I can listen to an audiobook. It sends a clear message that I don’t want to be approached for small talk.

Reason #3: Knowledge. When I was super young, I would ask my mom questions about everything and anything. One that stood out was “But Mom, who made God?” And she responded with “Mr. And Mrs. God.” Obviously that didn’t cut it for me, and I quickly discovered that reading something was a great way to learn more. It opened a whole new world of information for me, and I haven’t stopped reading to learn more. Nonfiction has become a way for me to learn more about people, places, things, and events.

Enough from me, let’s turn this monologue into a discussion. Feel free to share your reasons for reading in the comments!