One of my early
childhood memories may offer an insight into my future choice of profession as
a librarian. I clearly recall scrutinizing a family comic book whose storyline
involved the adventures of a handful of puppies. I had probably heard the story
many times from my parents or older siblings, but I was still a pre-reader and
couldn’t read the speech balloons myself. However, I knew without a doubt that
they contained the dialogue of the story. I did not yet have the skill to
decode those intriguing marks and signs, but the thought of one day being able
to read them myself filled me with heady anticipation. And indeed, it wasn’t
long before I learned to read, and the world of words opened up before me.
I recently participated
in an online workshop hosted by the Jewish Women of Wisdom! (JWOW!), an
organization founded by a special group of ladies dedicated to validating and
empowering the frum woman of 50-plus
years. Entitled “The Gift of Books,” the Sunday morning program featured an
interactive sharing of favorite books from childhood and/or adulthood as well
as a discussion of various genres of literature. Books figure prominently in
Jewish life, and the early literacy that characterizes our lifestyle exemplifies
the value we place on the written word. As consumers, givers, or recipients of
books, we can heighten our appreciation of reading by thinking about their
place and meaning in our lives
As a librarian of
many years standing, I was asked to prepare some thoughts about books to share
with the participants. My assumption was that the audience already possessed a
strong affinity for books, and I decided to deepen their pleasure by talking
about the benefits of reading books. As I researched the topic, I was delighted
to find that much more than information-gathering or enjoyment or escapism lies
behind a deep dive into a tome about touring Scotland, a book that demonstrates
the art of origami, or a novel that moves you to tears.
The most
traditional benefit of reading books is a person’s ability to gain in-depth
knowledge or information about a topic. An interest, curiosity, or need comes
first, and a logical way to address it is to read what others have researched,
experienced, and reported. A book devoted to a particular subject can offer
broad coverage when someone wants to learn something new. Contrast this with a
short article which, at best, can only touch on the main points of an issue but
doesn’t provide a sweeping view. One area in which I’ve consulted books for
this purpose is in advance of traveling to a new place. On our trips to Israel,
my husband and I have tried to include a stopover for a few days in an
interesting (read: friendly) European country. We probably wouldn’t make a
separate trip to these countries, but visiting them when we’re already en route
allows us the opportunity to see the world a bit. Well before our trip, I like
to read up on the region, cities, and places we’ll be visiting, so I look for a
really good tour book that gives a lot of background information along with the
logistics of touring. I recommend any of Rick Steves’ tour guides for that
purpose. This aspect of reading books to acquire new information, as reported
by the Pew Research Center, was the one mentioned by 26% of Americans when
asked why they like to read books.
Another benefit to
reading is its ability to reduce stress. While engaged in the act of reading,
the body experiences a reduction of tension in the muscles, which allow the
person to relax. On a psychological level, when a reader immerses herself in
the alternate reality of an author’s work of fiction, the body, and
concurrently the mind, relaxes as it temporarily escapes from its own
real-world stresses. This may explain why, when a child is deeply immersed in a
book, he actually does not hear his mother calling him for dinner; he is
mentally far away from the living room couch, and his relaxed state of mind and
body may need some encouragement to return him to reality.
Reading books also
aids in the development and use of analytical reasoning skills. Think of how a
person’s mind is engaged while reading a mystery: Which characters are
suspicious? Which clues are important? Which comments are deceptive? The reader
is making connections and entertaining possibilities as she reads, and these
activities sharpen one’s problem-solving skills.
Another value in
reading books is to improve focus and concentration. This is particularly
important in combating the lure of modern media and advanced technology in this
era. A couple of years ago, as a member of an assessment team monitoring the
use of technology by college students in a library setting, I observed an
interesting phenomenon. Almost every student working at a library computer
station was monitoring multiple active programs on the screen (observable from
a distance); in addition, many students were simultaneously working on their
computers, using their cell phones, and listening to media on a headset.
This type of
scenario doesn’t even sound unusual, as many people find that technology
enables multi-tasking to a degree that was unheard of before personal devices
were available. In contrast to electronic engagement, reading forces a person to
focus deeply on the literary media in front of her, which in turn increases the
attention span. A recent study by Microsoft (designed to aid in improving web
design) found that the human attention span has dropped from 12 seconds to eight
seconds from 2000 to 2015. Although this may be more problematic to online
marketers than to avid readers, it does highlight a modern-day concern about
distractibility.
An additional
benefit of reading is that it provides mental stimulation. Reading is actually
exercise for the brain: It improves memory, stimulates the imagination, and can
make a person smarter. As one high school student, an avid reader, told me
recently, “Reading for pleasure is mostly about using your imagination!”
Apparently, mental gymnastics require activation by an external source, but the
results are worthwhile. Scientific studies in the developing field of literary
neuroscience have shown that reading a novel, for example, increases blood flow
and improves connectivity in the brain.
For the writers
(or would-be writers) among us, reading books also helps to improve writing
skills. Observing the writing techniques of other authors can broaden one’s
literary approach; observing how others use language and cadence can inform
one’s own approach to using the written word as a medium for communicating
ideas. Not long ago, I read a fascinating book about the members of a rowing
team that participated in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. The author
interwove the men’s life stories, the craft of building racing boats, and the
historical and political events of that era. The result, entitled The Boys
in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown, was both engaging and lyrical. It made
me wonder how another writer might have approached the same topic.
Reading books
improves spelling and expands vocabulary. Although in today’s auto-correct
environment, the exact spelling of a word may not matter as much as it once
did, precise spelling aids in clear communication and increases a person’s
overall literacy. A corollary benefit to learning how to use new words is that
it improves one’s conversational skills. Have you ever come across a new word
while reading, and although you may have seen it before, you’ve never actually
used it? From reading, you may now understand its meaning in context (or if you
were really motivated, you may even have looked it up in the dictionary), and
suddenly, you begin to see that word everywhere. You’ve begun to own that word,
and you’ll begin using it, too. So, reading can help you learn new words and
use them correctly, becoming more articulate because of your literary exposure.
Books can also
increase a person’s skill in a particular area of interest. There is a plethora
of books on hobbies of every stripe, and reading one of them allows you to
learn from the experts. Reading a work written by a specialist or authority in
a field also allows you to learn from other people’s successes and failures. An
example of this is a cookbook, which usually includes culinary information and
professional tips as well as tried-and-true recipes. My cookbook shelf includes
some classics such as The Complete American-Jewish Cookbook and Spice
and Spirit, but it also holds some more contemporary ones like Susie
Fishbein’s Short on Time and Jamie Geller’s Quick and Kosher.
Someone seeking a kosher cookbook on practically any style, country, or culture
can probably find an interesting one to read.
Another benefit to
reading is the spiritual enrichment that books can provide. Reading
inspirational literature can reinforce our values and convictions and give us a
deeper understanding of ourselves. The expanding
availability of English language sefarim and books of Jewish thought is
a relatively recent trend in the frum
world. Selecting one to learn or read is a combination of accessibility and
personal taste. Whether one is inclined toward philosophical treatises, topical
essays by experts in various fields, or books of inspirational stories, the
choices are there. At various times, I’ve read and appreciated the English
translations of Rabbi Shimshon Dovid Pincus’s works, books by Rebbetzin
Tziporah Heller, and the Maggid series of books by Rabbi Paysach Krohn. I’ve
also gained much inspiration from well-written biographies or memoirs. Out
of the Depths, the English version of Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau’s mesmerizing
life, is one of the most moving memoirs I have ever read. Whatever your
personal preferences, Jewish books are an invaluable aid in self-development in
the spiritual realm.
An additional
perspective on the benefits of reading is highlighted by a recent study by the
Yale School of Public Health. The results of this research indicate that book
reading promotes longevity because of two cognitive processes that occur during
this activity. Reading books promotes “deep reading,” which is a slow,
immersive process. The cognitive engagement occurs as the reader draws
connections to and from different parts of the material, finds applications to
the outside world, and mentally raises questions about the content. Books also
can promote cerebral activities that relate positively to others and can
thereby lead to a survival advantage. These processes include empathy for
others, social perception, and emotional intelligence. The practical findings
of the study point to the benefits of reading a book for an average of 30
minutes a day and highlight the fact that reading a book is more advantageous
than reading an article. Lastly, books are protective in terms of longevity
regardless of gender, wealth, education, or health.
So, it seems that
reading books provides more benefits than one might imagine. This is good news
for the natural readers in our midst. Indeed, it might even motivate the
uninitiated or lighter readers to find a good book and let the benefits roll
in!
Elaine
Mael is a librarian and Jewish studies subject specialist at Towson University
in Baltimore, Maryland. She previously served as a librarian at Baltimore
Hebrew University.
