So, You Want to Read About Reading?

I am a reader. I have loved books since I was young, when I would lay on a sheet on the grass during the summer and let the rest of the world fall away while I lost myself in a book. I love how words are created, how they come together to form thoughts and ideas and feelings that are so much bigger than the words themselves. And I love the practice of reading and books and all that it entails – perusing shelves of books at libraries and book stores, searching used book stores and garage sales for hidden gems, hearing authors talk about their writing processes and motivations, talking about books with other readers, and even seeing shelves full of book spines lined up neatly or haphazardly, a colorful kaleidoscope of other worlds and knowledge in front of me, just waiting to be explored.

It turns out that many authors share my feelings about books. These authors have written countless books about books and reading and bookshops and libraries and how books impact our lives. I have read many, and there are so many more I have not, but I would like to share a list of some of the best books about books that I have read, all of which you can find at or through Wickson Library.

1.      Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury – A short dystopian novel published in 1953 that follows the main character Guy Montag, “a fireman” who is tasked with burning books and any houses they are found in. In this future, books have been banned in the U.S., and Guy becomes disillusioned with his role in censoring books.

2.      The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows – This is a historical fiction epistolary novel published in 2008 and set in 1946 on the island of Guernsey just after the German occupation. It is a story about the ways books bring people together, but also a story about the impacts of war and the powerful impacts of love and friendship. It is also a wonderful movie!

3.      The Midnight Library by Matt Haig – A science fiction story published in 2020 about a “library that holds an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality” that a person may have lived! A tale of possibilities!

4.      The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams – Published in 2021, this debut novel is set in London and follows a teenage girl who works at the library desk, an older widower, and his granddaughter. A mysterious list of books illustrates the ability of books and reading to help forge connections between people.

5.      The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michelle Richardson – This is a historical fiction piece published in 2019. It is based on the real Pack Horse Library program and inspired by the true, blue-skinned people of Kentucky in the 1930’s.

This list misses some of my other favorites, but I hope it provides a range of genres, authors and settings to appeal to most readers who want to enjoy some books about books. As a bonus, if you like to read about writing, Stephen King wrote On Writing: A Memoir on the Craft about his own writing journey and the basic tools every aspiring writer needs.

Happy reading!