Review: I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel

For so many people, reading isn't just a hobby or a way to pass the time--it's a lifestyle. Our books shape us, define us, enchant us, and even sometimes infuriate us. Our books are a part of who we are as people, and we can't imagine life without them.

 I'd Rather Be Reading is the perfect literary companion for everyone who feels that way. In this collection of charming and relatable reflections on the reading life, beloved blogger and author Anne Bogel leads readers to remember the book that first hooked them, the place where they first fell in love with reading, and all of the moments afterward that helped make them the reader they are today. Known as a reading tastemaker through her popular podcast What Should I Read Next?, Bogel invites book lovers into a community of like-minded people to discover new ways to approach literature, learn fascinating new things about books and publishing, and reflect on the role reading plays in their lives.

The perfect gift for the bibliophile in everyone's life, I'd Rather Be Reading will command an honored place on the overstuffed bookshelves of any book lover.

Hardcover, 160 pages

Published September 4th 2018

by Baker Books

****

When we share our favourite 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 feel just as much.

This is a delightful little book that will reassure readers they are not alone in their reading lifestyle. It’s a small book from author Ann Bogel who also hosts a blog (The Modern Mrs. Darcy) and podcast (What should I read next?).

I didn’t read this all in one sitting but rather it’s a chapter a day type of book. There are some things that are repeated, there are new authors and books to discover. It’s the history of Anne's love and relationship with books and reading.

People read for a multiplicity of reasons. Nearly forty years in, I can tell you why I inhale books like oxygen: I’m grateful for my one life, but I’d prefer to live a thousand — and my favorite books allow me to experience more on the page than I ever could in my actual life. 

A fun little book, a perfect gift for any reader or yourself.


"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."