Book Brief: I'd Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel

I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life
by Anne Bogel
narrated by Anne Bogel
Mission Audio, 2018
2 hours and 23 minutes

Motivation for reading:
I cannot resist books about books!

Source:
audiobook downloaded via hoopla from my library
(If your library has hoopla, the ebook is also available for immediate download.)

Publisher's summary:
For so many people, reading isn't just a hobby or a way to pass the time - it's a lifestyle. Our books shape us, define us, enchant us, and even sometimes infuriate us. Our books are a part of who we are as people, and we can't imagine life without them.

I'd Rather Be Reading is the perfect literary companion for everyone who feels that way. In this collection of charming and relatable reflections on the reading life, beloved blogger and author Anne Bogel leads people to remember the book that first hooked them, the place where they first fell in love with reading, and all of the moments afterward that helped make them who they are today.

Known as a reading tastemaker through her popular podcast What Should I Read Next?, Bogel invites book lovers into a community of like-minded people to discover new ways to approach literature, learn fascinating new things about books and publishing, and reflect on the role reading plays in their lives. The perfect gift for the bibliophile in everyone's life, I'd Rather Be Reading will also command an honored place in the audio library of any book lover.

Opening paragraph:

1

Confess Your Literary Sins 

In David Lodge's campus novel Changing Places, two college professors - one American, one British - swap teaching roles for a year. In one memorable scene, the British academics invite their American guest to play a party game called Humiliation. Players confess important literary world they haven't yet read, and points are scored based on how many other players have already read them. The person with the most - and most egregious - gaps in their personal reading history wins. If everyone but you has read that book, you're going to be great at Humiliation.

My thoughts:

I've read Changing Places, so from the first paragraph, I had a feeling Anne Bogel and I might be on the same page - literally. And as it turned out, we were. Bogel is a reader and she understands readers. So much of what she writes here resonates with me.

There are many quotes I would share if I'd had a print copy but, since I listened, you might want to read (or listened to) this book for yourself. The audio version is very short... easy to listen to while completing daily tasks or on a short car trip. Bogel narrates it herself and her passion for reading is evident. My only complaint is that the pace of the audio may have been a little too fast. Nevertheless, I wholeheartedly agreed with every word!

..."what I've come to learn is this: if my real life reminds me of something I read in a book, I'm reading well -- and I'm probably living well, too."  

My rating: