Anne Bogel | 2018 | Non-fiction, humour

Recently, a book walked into my life. It felt like the writer had taken a peek at my thoughts, seen the way I think and read books, and then written a book about that!

I’ve seen very few books that talk about reading as a habit or practice. I highlighted (virtually, of course) about 70 percent of the book because it was just so accurate. Here’s a line to sample: “Book lovers have strong feelings about bookish scents; some of us get poetic about the distinctive smell of freshly inked paper, or old cloth-covered hardcovers, or a used bookstore.”

Truer words have seldom been written.

The author recommends starting a “reading journal” to track what you’ve read. She builds a case for the cause with the thought: “My photographer friend says a good photo album preserves two kinds of histories: the chronological and the emotional. The reminder of both what happened and what it meant to you. As a lifelong reader and library patron, I yearn for my own sort of album—one composed not of photographs, but of book titles and checkout dates. My simple rows of library records may not be as pretty as personal photographs, but when it comes to remembering—well, they take me right back.”

Inspired by this, I started my own rudimentary “Book Journal”.

At the core of it, “I’d rather be reading” is a book that offers a unique insight into the lives and minds of those people who prefer reading and books over everything else, and I daresay, everyone else. Simple, achingly funny and a light read, pick it up and be prepared to nod in agreement several times!

Signing off this review with the best line for a reader: “You know everything you need to know about a person from the answer to the question, What is your favorite book?”

For more book reviews, recommendations and conversations about all things books with a dash of recipes and travel tales, do hop over to my Instagram page from.the.corner.table I’d love to hear from you!