Thursday, July 22, 2010

We Read Out of Need

In her piece on The Salon about the fine art of recommending books, Laura Miller quotes Lorin Stein of The Paris Review. I absolutely loved this, because I have always thought there was more to reading than just pleasure--even for those who claim to read only for pleasure.

I don't think people read 'for' pleasure, exactly," he went on. "Of course there is pleasure in reading. But mainly we do it out of need. Because we're lonely, or confused, or need to laugh, or want some kind of protection or quiet — or disturbance, or truth, or whatever.


I like a lot of the other things he has to say about recommending books, about our moods and the way they change and shift and how that affects what we read. That recommendations can't be made without asking personal questions.

We read out of need. I like it.

(Also Lonesome Dove is suggested as a book to please readers of any taste! I hope you'll join my readalong in October!)

Amy

Comments (12)

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I love that quote too :)
So very true. I know I have a deep need to read, read, read.
Thanks for pointing out this article.
I agree completely. I read many times to escape life, escape emotions, escape something. Of course there are other reasons as well, but I do read for a reason. I'm not sure everyone understands that completely, or maybe it's just those of us that are "crazy" readers. LOL
As another Texas writer, I cheer your choice of Lonesome Dove!
Love it. And the article was really good too; I worry a lot about recommending books to people, especially when I don't know their taste. On the other hand, it's a great feeling when I get that little click that means I've gotten the hang of someone's reading tastes and can recommend books to them really effectively.
Yes--I feel I read out of need.

Lonesome Dove, huh? Sounds like this will start just as I finish Brothers Karamazov so why not? I think this will be the year of chunksters for me!
Amy, I love how you always find these really thought-provoking articles about reading... and inspire me to "think deep". :P

This quote is true, for me, anyway. I often read to escape... it's a need, for sure.

~MizB
I like it too. And I completely agree. Reading is pleasurable, don't get me wrong, but it is so much more than that.
I completely agree Amy - there is something very personal and therapeutic about reading. I think it's the solitude and introspection that reading provides. I know my tastes in books are as varied as my moods and they can also be used to affect my moods. For instance, I don't just listen to audiobooks in the car on my drive to and from work each day to make effective use of that time, I make sure I have an audiobook in my car because focussing on the story being told helps me switch-off from work matters/problems so much more quickly than listening to music does - music is too predictable, good novels are not.
*eyes copy of Lonesome Dove on nightstand, untouched since April*

Sure it is.
I've had a copy of Lonesome Dove on my shelf for almost a year, October would be as good a time as any to start! Glad there will be people to read it with. I'll mark it on my calendar!

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