6 Ways Reading Brings Joy
To Our Lives
A Good Book Can Transport Us To
Other Worlds, Or Reveal More About This One, Author Says
The options for latching onto a great book – whether a
classic by Victor Hugo or the latest bestseller by John Grisham – appear
limitless these days.
Printed books remain popular, but e-readers provide
additional choices. We can still visit bookstores and libraries, but a seemingly
infinite selection of titles is available for ordering online.
And, despite periodic worries about the reading habits of
the young, a Pew Research Center study released last year showed that young
adults, ages 18-29, were the group most likely to have read a book in the
previous 12 months.
It’s not surprising people are still eager to lose
themselves in a richly plotted novel, a well-researched biography or any title
on a favorite topic, says Darlene Quinn, an author whose latest novel,
“Conflicting Webs” (www.darlenequinn.net) is the fifth in her
standalone Webs Series, which features stories steeped in family issues in
today's rapidly paced world.
“Reading is beneficial for everyone, whether we do it for
entertainment, to pass the time or to learn,” Quinn says. “We can grow and
change from the first page to the last page, and anywhere in between. A love for
reading can open a lot of doors.”
Quinn, a lifelong lover of books, suggests six ways reading
brings joy to our lives:
• Relaxation factor. After a busy
day, down time with a book can be a rewarding way to segue into bedtime.
“Putting up your feet with a cup of tea and a timeless story can make the
stress melt away,” Quinn says. “What better way to unwind?” The beauty of
ending the day with a good book is that you can still have mental stimulation
even as you seek a distraction from personal issues, work concerns and the
unexpected complications of life.
• Universal appeal, personal
experience. People can read the same book, yet come away with an
experience that is distinct for them, Quinn says. That puts her in agreement
with Edmund Wilson, the American literary and social critic, who observed that
“no two persons ever read the same book.” Quinn says we often alter what
is written – or at least our interpretations of it – to reflect our
situations, personalities and opinions.
• Tech savvy welcome, but not
required. E-readers are popular these days and it’s not hard to
understand why, Quinn says. They bring numerous benefits to the reading
experience, such as the ability to instantly download new books or change the
type size on the screen. But tried-and-true print versions of books remain
strong and it’s nice to be able to grab a book without charging its battery or
bringing along a power cord, Quinn says. “And as far as I’m concerned, you
just can’t beat the intoxicating aroma of fresh book pages,” she says.
• To infinity and beyond. Trains,
planes and automobiles all have limits on where they can take us. Books don’t.
A science fiction novel can whisk us away to an alternate universe. A
historical novel can plunk us down in the middle of the Salem witch trials. In
the movie “Toy Story,” Buzz Lightyear’s catchphrase was “to infinity and
beyond.” That aptly describes the reach of books and the power they have to
transport us. “Right in our hands we have the passageway to a new world, a new
language or a new understanding,” Quinn says. “We can be anywhere and we can
be there at any time.”
• Lessons within the pages. The
opportunity to expand our creativity and knowledge is what reading is all
about, Quinn says. Name a topic and a book exists that can help you learn more
about it. The options are numerous – music, history, art, geography,
exploration, science, nature, religion and more. “My goal has always been to
be a lifelong learner and books are a fantastic asset for achieving that,”
Quinn says.
John Green, author of such works as “The Fault in Our Stars”
and “Paper Towns,” has said, “Great books help you understand, and they help you
feel understood.” Quinn says that might be the best reason of all to
read.
“The feeling that someone else knows our struggles and
relates to our lives can give us a sense of completeness, and help us realize we
aren’t the only ones who feel or think the way we do,” she says.
“Reading can make us happy when we are sad. It can make us
laugh when we are depressed. And it can excite us when we are disheartened.
Those are great accomplishments for such a simple activity.”
About Darlene
Quinn
Darlene Quinn (www.darlenequinn.net) is an author and
journalist from Long Beach, Calif., whose novels about deceit, intrigue and
glamour in the retail fashion industry were inspired by her years working in
management with Bullocks Wilshire Specialty department stores. Quinn’s novels
are steeped in family issues in today’s rapidly paced world. Her latest is
“Conflicting Webs,” the fifth book in her epic Web series. Previous titles in
the standalone series have been “Webs of Fate,” “Webs of Power,” “Twisted Webs”
and “Unpredictable Webs.”
