The Last Word - Rules for guilt-free reading

By Susan Wilson - March 6, 2008

I can't tell you how many times people will admit in casual conversation that they feel guilty for "reading too much." As if reading was a waste of time, or a slightly spurious activity. Admittedly, I'm a little prejudiced in favor of reading as an activity, but I think that most people will agree that compared with, let's say, drinking and driving, or gambling, or indulging in chocolate chip cookies, sitting down with a book in lieu of doing something "constructive" is perfectly acceptable behavior. Given that eating the above-mentioned chocolate chip cookies can be done in conjunction with reading does not lessen the acceptability of reading as a sport.

Maybe there are those who feel that if they aren't reading a worthy tome by some award-winning author, then what they're reading is of no benefit and, really, they should get around to mowing that lawn. That's a bit like saying that rinsing your hands before eating isn't as good a full scrub-in, so what's the point. It's a matter of degree. All reading, even of pulp fiction, is of value in some way. We all know the kid who grew up reading the backs of cereal boxes, the passionate reader, for whom reading was a compulsion. Reading is probably one of the few compulsions that isn't considered harmful, except in the dim past when over reading was thought to be harmful to the eyesight. Which, given the poor lighting of the times, firelight and candle, it might have been.

For many of us, the need to read is visceral, as physical as hunger or thirst. It isn't just about literature, it's about pleasure. If I don't have that one hour's worth of reading every morning, I feel cheated. If I can sneak another half hour while the dinner is cooking, I'm even happier. There's a lot of reading that goes on in my house, the coffee table is cluttered with reading material, the cardinal corners are each weighed down with piles of books my husband and I are either reading, going to read, have been loaned, or are about to take back to the library. I am so compulsive that even before I've cracked the next book in the pile, I'm hoarding more volumes in the irrational fear that some day I might wake up and have nothing to read. I think that there's a medical term for that, but I don't know what it is.

I believe that there are four rules on reading:

One: Reading is not crime. Don't be made to feel guilty. You're not indulging in self-destructive behavior.

Two: Read first and foremost for pleasure. If you aren't engaged in the book you're reading, don't waste your time. Don't feel guilty if you put the thing down. If reading too much isn't a crime, it ventures over the line into misdemeanor if you're not really enjoying the book in hand. If it is a choice between forcing oneself to read another ten pages in a book that isn't holding your attention, instead of, say, cooking for the in-laws who are about to show up on your doorstep, there's no excuse. Toss that disappointing book aside and grab your apron. Life's too short to waste on books that don't speak to you, or annoy you so much with some authorial tick that you can't get involved with the characters. (I'm leaving assigned books for educational purposes out of this discussion; forced reading isn't the same as reading for pleasure. Although assigned books certainly can introduce the reluctant reader to great pleasure.)

Three: Think about what you've read for ten minutes after you put it down. Savor the ending, or object to it. Bid goodbye to the characters, promise to write.

Four: Talk about it; recommend it. Don't just let it lay there on your coffee table, a forgotten guest. Don't hog all that enjoyment. If you really like a book - or hate it - there are plenty of online outlets that let you express your opinion. Recently, I was introduced to www.goodreads.com, an online reading group built along the same concept as the kids' Face Book website. On Goodreads, participants have a 'page' and can list, review, comment, blog, and rate books. The site invites the avid reader to see what others are reading, recommending or remarking on. A bibliophile's Internet heaven. Not only can you rate your reads, you can also participate by reviewing the book for others. (If you want to see what I'm reading, contact me at susanwilsonwrites@yahoo.com.) Likewise, readers' reviews are always welcome on Amazon's site. If this is more involved than you have time for, simply telling friends about books you've enjoyed gives the book "legs," as they say in the book biz. Some of the best-selling books of our time have been hand-sells, i.e, the outreach from one reader/bookseller to another reader. The Glass Castle, Water for Elephants, and other non-commercial breakout stories have been word-of-mouth successes. You the reader have the power to make an author's career by simply recommending a book.

Now, go and sin no more. Read to your heart's content and then talk about what you've read. But forget those chocolate chip cookies. Some things you should feel guilty about.

Susan Wilson is a freelance writer and novelist who lives in Oak Bluffs. Visit her web site at susanwilsonwrites.com.