Sunday, October 23, 2011

And maybe the measure of our reading should therefore be, not the number of books we've read, but the state in which they leave us. What does it matter how cultivated and up-to-date we are, or how many thousands of books we've read? What matters is how we feel, how we see, what we do after reading; whether the street and the clouds and the existence of others mean anything to us; whether reading makes us physically more alive.
Gabriel Zaid

7 comments:

Beth said...

I believe reading does change us – makes the existence of others (other people, other worlds) more meaningful.

Trish said...

Absolutely. It's the closest we can get to actually, for a time, being someone or somewhere else. Change and, hopefully, a greater sense of compassion are inevitable.

Tracy said...

whether reading makes us physically more alive.
Absolutely it does, or as the author said, it should do. It's better to read one book slowly, savouring every line, and the bearing it has on your life, than to read ten books in a rush without really stopping to think about them.

Trish said...

Yes, so true. I try not to keep to any kind of reading schedule or book count. Even though I've always got something good waiting in the wings, I also really just want to savour the book I'm reading right now. That's why I like to quickly write down my thoughts when I am done because I'd hate to forget some of the more memorable aspects of a story. That last bit of reflection helps anchor the book in my mind.

Michelle @ 1morechapter said...

Love this quote!

Ruth said...

So well put. The best books are those that leave us wishing we had not yet discovered them so we could feel the bliss and rapture of the first read all over again. A rare but stunning occurrence.

Trish said...

It's an amazing feeling, isn't it? Every time I pick up a book I wonder if this one will be one of those books.