5* Reasons I'm Gonna Read a Good Book Tonight**
1. It Doesn't Involve Social Media (basically)
--Nuff said.
2. If You're Only Watching What Everyone Else is Watching ...
--Original thought requires original activity. Which is related to;
3. Inspiration
When you're re-reading a passage cause you can't concentrate and your mind keeps wandering - that wandering is often the very source of inspiration and creativity.
4. That Kid Thing
--To go back to that place when mum or dad read to you in bed. (Or, if they didn't, here's your chance to get under the covers and go someplace else in your mind.) Cause for every The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Choose Your Own Adventure or Anne of Green Gables of your youth there is an adult equivalent. Trust me. I just started working in a bookstore. I'm supposed to know.
5. Yoga is to Your Butt as Book is to Your Brain
--Ever get up after watching three hours of youtube, stretch your arms out and say, 'Ahhh, I feel so much better?' Me neither. Like working out, it's often rough going those first pages but you feel soooo good after.
* It turns out there may in fact be more than five reasons to read a good book. Care to share one?
** In which Mendelsohn admits to watching 6 of 10 youtube parts of a documentary last night before finally getting in bed to read his book. (The doc was very inspiring if you must know.)
>>This didactic bit of soap box preaching was brought to you by the one day hopeful makers of the very things I am today starting to purvey.
i love it. going to put it on the fridge. yup. very well said. i'm trying to think of another reason, but i can't. all of mine are just variations on yours. except maybe i would add that is is peaceful. ahh.
ReplyDeletelike drinking red wine or sitting by the sea. totally. so peaceful. good one!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jon...your reasons may just inspire me to read tonight. (Although, admittedly, it will be after watching Desperate Housewives, and I'll likely fall asleep before I've completed nary a chapter. But still...!)
ReplyDeleteBut still... you know? My point exactly!
ReplyDeleteR, Bill Clinton was on Elvis Costello's wonderful TV show "Spectacle" tonight (though I think it was a repeat) and he was talking about the value of music in school, for creativity, for discipline, for all kinds of things. I'm feeling that way about reading these days. If I ever had that kind of influence I'd love to make that my mission - to get more folks reading. And I think it would be fun (ie. challenging) to aim at the group that reads fiction least: grown men!
ReplyDelete