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Have You Ever Thought Deeply About Why You Read The Books You Read?

Today I did and learned a lot about myself in the process

I just started reading a book called “I’d Rather Be READING” by Anne Bogel. Many people ask her for book recommendations and something she said in that regard caught my eye.

To hand you a great book, I don’t just need to know about books; I need to know you. — Anne Bogel

Nobody asks me for book recommendations but I often spend a lot of time trying to figure out what to read next so I thought I’d spend some time getting to know myself and my reading desires a bit better in order to make better book selections for myself.

What follows next is a list of questions that Anne Bogel mentions in her book. I decided to ask myself these questions and learned a thing or two about my reading preferences.

Each question below has been copied verbatim from her book.

When you turn to the written word, what are you looking for?

Since I have returned to reading fiction primarily when I select a book, I am on the lookout for a portal into a fascinating world from where I can either return entertained, or with an expanded worldview, or with a new perspective about the issues I am dealing with in my own life.

On the rare occasion that I pick up a non-fiction book, I am looking for specific information about a decision I want to make.

What themes speak to you?

I loved answering this question because I learned a couple of new things about myself. Here are the themes that speak to me.

1. The phoenix rising from the ashes.
2. Honor and justice.
3. Truthful, maverick, outlaw.
4. Simple authenticity — Mostly an authentic account of someone making their way through the challenges of day to day life. It’s important for me that these books don’t throw in any grand platitudes. I also prefer contemporary themes in these books.
5. Historical fiction that has more than just a grain of truth in the history it portrays.
6. Interesting lifestyles and experiences.
7. Stories of different cultures, including mythological ones.

What sorts of places do you want to vicariously visit?

I like to visit all sorts of places in books. Cafes, pubs, homes, ashrams, bordellos, palaces, gambling dens, mountains, just the open road. Really anything and everything. If the story has depth and the characters feel authentic then all places are fun.

What types of characters do you enjoy meeting on the page?

I like to meet characters who feel deeply. Who ask pertinent and irreverent questions. Characters who are eternal seekers of adventure and Truth. I also enjoy meeting simple characters who try to carve out an authentic life in a world plagued by fakeness.

It’s always a pleasure to meet characters who make bold choices and live vicariously because they give me the courage and motivation to do the same in my own life.

Now it’s your turn: What do you look for when you turn to the written word?