The Power of Books
Written By : Grace Wedienhamer
I grew up an avid reader. But somewhere along the way, I fell into the societal trend that reading wasn’t super cool, which is sad, because reading is, actually, super cool! In the age of audiobooks, podcasts, and YouTube videos, it’s easy to forget how much a book can transform you, sweep you off your feet, and make you forget where you are, what you’re doing, or even who you are (wait, just me?). Books have a way of transporting you to a place that TV or movies can’t.
I’m so glad reading is “trendy” again (or maybe we’re just getting older), because I don’t know if I would’ve picked up the hobby again if it wasn’t “cool.” Nevertheless, I’m back in my reading era and couldn’t be happier.
Now, I’m not trying to be pretentious here. I’m not trying to tell you that the only way to define yourself as a reader is if you exclusively read Austen, Woolf, or Brontë (yes, I just Googled “classic authors”). Because if you pick up a book, you’re a reader—don’t overthink it. I started out with easy “beach reads” to dust off my reading brain and remember why I fell in love with it in the first place. I call these books “beach reads” because they’re relaxing, easy to comprehend, and basically just give you vacation vibes. See below for a few recommendations. These books are like a palate cleanser—refreshing your taste buds to prepare them for the next dish, so you can appreciate the complexity and nuances of new flavors.
No matter what genre you’re into, a good book has the power to completely engulf you and transform you into the girl who walks down the street with a Kindle in her hand or takes her book on her bathroom break (guilty as charged). I like turning to books when I’m in a slump—when it feels like real life is just too much and I need to turn my brain off for a little while. If I’m feeling bored, uninspired, or even stuck, cracking open a book reminds me how much joy there is in life and how much more there is to explore. It’s easy to become stagnant in our mundane day-to-day lives. But when you read, you can experience a whole new reality!
This may sound a little weird, but I find it oddly comforting to share an experience or emotion with a character in a book, even if it’s fictional. It almost validates what I’m going through and shows me that my life is just like the main character’s—and I will eventually find my way through the conflict to the resolution, though maybe in a less glamorous or quirky way. It’s also exciting to expand your mind to new horizons, to experience another culture or take a walk in someone else’s shoes—without ever having to leave your house.
There’s so much in this world that we may never get to experience firsthand, but we can read about it and live it through the author’s storytelling. Through books, we feel more connected with our fellow humans—through their stories, we see that we’re all part of the same community. And even if it’s not published, your story matters too.