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Why We Read
Why read non-fiction? Is it just to find things out? Or is it for pleasure, challenge, adventure, meaning? Here, in seventy new pieces, some of the most original writers and thinkers of our time give their answers.
From Hilton Als on reading as writing's dearest companion to Nicci Gerrard on reading for her life; from Malcolm Gladwell on entering the minds of others to Michael Lewis on books as secret discoveries; and from Lea Ypi on the search for freedom to Slavoj Žižek on violent readings, each offers their own surprising perspective on the simple act of turning a page. The result is a celebration of seeing the world in new ways - and of having our minds changed.
From Hilton Als on reading as writing's dearest companion to Nicci Gerrard on reading for her life; from Malcolm Gladwell on entering the minds of others to Michael Lewis on books as secret discoveries; and from Lea Ypi on the search for freedom to Slavoj Žižek on violent readings, each offers their own surprising perspective on the simple act of turning a page. The result is a celebration of seeing the world in new ways - and of having our minds changed.
154 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 5, 2022
20 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
David Wengrow
11 books216 followersDavid Wengrow is a British archaeologist and Professor of Comparative Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
August 17, 2025
Inspired by a New York Times article, I did a literary tour of Dublin while visiting the city as part of a larger holiday. The article included stops at Hodges Figgis, which is over 250 years old, as well as other landmarks like Trinity College Library and the National Library. It felt fitting to buy this book. I was fortunate enough to finish reading it in the beautiful Victorian State Library in Melbourne while on a work trip (it is worth looking up).
This anthology is a collection of short essays ostensibly on why these writers read non-fiction. I say “ostensibly” because at least half do not explicitly write about their non-fiction reading habits. Rather, many authors speak in broad terms about why they read in general. This was poor editing and diminished the quality of the book. Of those who did write explicitly about non-fiction, only a dozen or so were inspiring. Three essays immediately come to mind, authored by Peter Hennessy, Niall Ferguson, and Priya Satia, all curiously historians (this may have been my own subliminal bias).
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Each essay is of varying length, ranging from half a page (Hennessy) to six pages (Satia). However, they each provide unique insights into their love for reading non-fiction. Hennessy laconically outlines non-fiction as replenishing humanity’s innate desire for curiosity, literacy, and memory. Ferguson describes literature as the ultimate immersive experience—particularly historical events—as it requires the utmost imagination and no external stimuli beyond a few scribbles on a page. Satia portrays non-fiction as a poetic function that enables practical politics to evince righteous change.
Many of the authors who are not historians cite history as their primary genre of non-fiction reading. Although history is arguably the most popular non-fiction genre, the editor could have done more to include authors with different inclinations. For instance, Richard Dawkins is one of the only authors to provide a scientific lens to non-fiction reading. He wonderfully states his love for science and how this passion has driven him and others to make advancements in biological scholarship that have profoundly impacted how we understand ourselves in this world. Nonetheless, the historical bias of these authors underscores the importance the liberal arts have had on their education, and, by extension, on the broader reading public.
The best essay that encapsulated why most people read non-fiction was rather brusquely written by Ian Kershaw (another historian). To paraphrase: one reads non-fiction for interest; to enlighten oneself; to gain inspiration by injecting ideas that shape one’s daily activities; for imagination to broaden our views and modify our outlooks; for education and lifelong learning; to evaluate information and received knowledge from previous reading and education; and for relaxation and pleasure. I am sure that one or more of these myriad reasons resonate with all readers of non-fiction—I know they do for me.
I primarily read non-fiction. I am an autodidact who believes in lifelong learning, and reading non-fiction is one of the easiest ways to achieve this. I have a particular passion for politics, which stems from my proclivity for the humanities and has since been honed by university studies and my current career as a policy consultant. Politics, in my opinion, is arguably the most important matter of any age. It determines how people live, work and procreate. As Pericles once stated, you may not be interested in politics, but politics has an interest in you.
Those who shaped the modern world read non-fiction, and often copious amounts of it. America’s Founding Fathers were well versed in the political philosophy of Cicero, Locke and Rousseau, among others. Isaac Newton said he stood on the shoulders of giants; he revolutionised works of non-fiction during his time. However, one must retain a critical lens when reading non-fiction. Science is the Popperian art of falsifiability, whereas social science and history can be fabricated or taken out of context. After all, Winston Churchill did say history would be kind to him, as he intended to write it.
In sum, I read to learn, and to hopefully use that knowledge to influence others and help shape, no matter how minutely, the world into a more just place.
This anthology is a collection of short essays ostensibly on why these writers read non-fiction. I say “ostensibly” because at least half do not explicitly write about their non-fiction reading habits. Rather, many authors speak in broad terms about why they read in general. This was poor editing and diminished the quality of the book. Of those who did write explicitly about non-fiction, only a dozen or so were inspiring. Three essays immediately come to mind, authored by Peter Hennessy, Niall Ferguson, and Priya Satia, all curiously historians (this may have been my own subliminal bias).
Thanks for reading Callum’s Column! Subscribe for free (only your email is required) for new book reviews and political analyses on Australia and the United States: https://callumscolumn.substack.com/
Each essay is of varying length, ranging from half a page (Hennessy) to six pages (Satia). However, they each provide unique insights into their love for reading non-fiction. Hennessy laconically outlines non-fiction as replenishing humanity’s innate desire for curiosity, literacy, and memory. Ferguson describes literature as the ultimate immersive experience—particularly historical events—as it requires the utmost imagination and no external stimuli beyond a few scribbles on a page. Satia portrays non-fiction as a poetic function that enables practical politics to evince righteous change.
Many of the authors who are not historians cite history as their primary genre of non-fiction reading. Although history is arguably the most popular non-fiction genre, the editor could have done more to include authors with different inclinations. For instance, Richard Dawkins is one of the only authors to provide a scientific lens to non-fiction reading. He wonderfully states his love for science and how this passion has driven him and others to make advancements in biological scholarship that have profoundly impacted how we understand ourselves in this world. Nonetheless, the historical bias of these authors underscores the importance the liberal arts have had on their education, and, by extension, on the broader reading public.
The best essay that encapsulated why most people read non-fiction was rather brusquely written by Ian Kershaw (another historian). To paraphrase: one reads non-fiction for interest; to enlighten oneself; to gain inspiration by injecting ideas that shape one’s daily activities; for imagination to broaden our views and modify our outlooks; for education and lifelong learning; to evaluate information and received knowledge from previous reading and education; and for relaxation and pleasure. I am sure that one or more of these myriad reasons resonate with all readers of non-fiction—I know they do for me.
I primarily read non-fiction. I am an autodidact who believes in lifelong learning, and reading non-fiction is one of the easiest ways to achieve this. I have a particular passion for politics, which stems from my proclivity for the humanities and has since been honed by university studies and my current career as a policy consultant. Politics, in my opinion, is arguably the most important matter of any age. It determines how people live, work and procreate. As Pericles once stated, you may not be interested in politics, but politics has an interest in you.
Those who shaped the modern world read non-fiction, and often copious amounts of it. America’s Founding Fathers were well versed in the political philosophy of Cicero, Locke and Rousseau, among others. Isaac Newton said he stood on the shoulders of giants; he revolutionised works of non-fiction during his time. However, one must retain a critical lens when reading non-fiction. Science is the Popperian art of falsifiability, whereas social science and history can be fabricated or taken out of context. After all, Winston Churchill did say history would be kind to him, as he intended to write it.
In sum, I read to learn, and to hopefully use that knowledge to influence others and help shape, no matter how minutely, the world into a more just place.
May 6, 2022
I found Why We Read to be a real mixed bag. It consists of essays by prominent people (several of whom I had actually heard of and, in some cases, read) about why they read non-fiction and sometimes about why everyone else should read non-fiction. They vary from the concise, pithy and thoughtful to the insufferably pompous and pretentious.
The good essays are really good. George Monbiot makes an excellent case for the written word as solid, checkable information in a world where much is denied or obfuscated. Richard Dawkins thankfully avoids religion and writes beautifully about how wonderful reading about science can be. Esme Weijun Wang (whom I don’t know) talks personally and affectingly about how reading may allow one at least a glimpse of the paths one has not taken oneself. Niall Ferguson is great on the importance of the exercise of the imagination when reading, Alison Bashford’s excitement on browsing Malthus’s library is delightfully infectious...and so on. However...
There are 70 essays here and I found many to be rather hard going for one reason or another. There is an awful lot of self-conscious style on show here; many – although thankfully not all – of the writers here seem to have made a massive effort to write eye-catching prose, which is by no means always a pleasure to read. Abhjit Bannerjee (also a new name to me), for example gives us this. “I read to step inside the game and play: to spot the rhythms, the very special way the consonants knock into each other, to hear the echoes, internal and external, make connections and guess the ones the author wanted us to find.” Oh, really? Well, knock yourself out, Abhjit. Gerd Gigerenzer (not heard of him either) takes a very long time indeed to say that reading extensively may bring greater understanding of and empathy with other people and cultures, finishing with “In this sense, extensive reading is an obligation, even a moral duty.” But in another, probably more accurate sense, it’s something to be encouraged rather than a duty to be imposed.
There’s plenty more of this kind of stuff elsewhere – often with a generous sprinkling of oh-so-casual lists of the high-powered books they just happen to have read. Even the opening essay by Anthony Aguirre (nor him) makes the good but fairly simple point that the huge volume of verbiage now churned out everywhere is not necessarily adding to human knowledge and that we need to be careful about picking out substance from waffle – and ironically almost submerges the point in a load of pretentious waffle of his own. (And, my word, does that point apply to this book!)
An overall rating is rather difficult. The good essays are well worth reading, and there are a good many more of those that I haven’t cited here. There is also a lot of pompous, self-regarding stuff, too. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether finding the former will make wading through the latter worthwhile.
The good essays are really good. George Monbiot makes an excellent case for the written word as solid, checkable information in a world where much is denied or obfuscated. Richard Dawkins thankfully avoids religion and writes beautifully about how wonderful reading about science can be. Esme Weijun Wang (whom I don’t know) talks personally and affectingly about how reading may allow one at least a glimpse of the paths one has not taken oneself. Niall Ferguson is great on the importance of the exercise of the imagination when reading, Alison Bashford’s excitement on browsing Malthus’s library is delightfully infectious...and so on. However...
There are 70 essays here and I found many to be rather hard going for one reason or another. There is an awful lot of self-conscious style on show here; many – although thankfully not all – of the writers here seem to have made a massive effort to write eye-catching prose, which is by no means always a pleasure to read. Abhjit Bannerjee (also a new name to me), for example gives us this. “I read to step inside the game and play: to spot the rhythms, the very special way the consonants knock into each other, to hear the echoes, internal and external, make connections and guess the ones the author wanted us to find.” Oh, really? Well, knock yourself out, Abhjit. Gerd Gigerenzer (not heard of him either) takes a very long time indeed to say that reading extensively may bring greater understanding of and empathy with other people and cultures, finishing with “In this sense, extensive reading is an obligation, even a moral duty.” But in another, probably more accurate sense, it’s something to be encouraged rather than a duty to be imposed.
There’s plenty more of this kind of stuff elsewhere – often with a generous sprinkling of oh-so-casual lists of the high-powered books they just happen to have read. Even the opening essay by Anthony Aguirre (nor him) makes the good but fairly simple point that the huge volume of verbiage now churned out everywhere is not necessarily adding to human knowledge and that we need to be careful about picking out substance from waffle – and ironically almost submerges the point in a load of pretentious waffle of his own. (And, my word, does that point apply to this book!)
An overall rating is rather difficult. The good essays are well worth reading, and there are a good many more of those that I haven’t cited here. There is also a lot of pompous, self-regarding stuff, too. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether finding the former will make wading through the latter worthwhile.
June 23, 2022
Well I haven’t had a DNF on here for a long time , I always try to persevere with a book to see where it’s going but with this one I can sadly see where it’s going and I think it’s going to be much of the same.
I was provided this through @netgalley and it sounded like a great concept. 70 authors each delving into a straight forward question ‘why do we read?’ But it did not end up to be what I expected.
Maybe I should have heard warning bells at my main issue 70 authors. Whilst I still think the concept behind this book is great I just think it has been poorly executed . Firstly i think 70 is too many contributors, when I started this book I was full of intrigue and was highlighting quotes and tabbing like crazy then I started to realise just as some authors had proposed interesting theories that I wanted to explore more, the next authors essay would begin .
The main problem can be fixed in a very simple way . It needs streamlining , less authors and more from the authors in the book . Instead I found that a lot of what I was reading was repetitive and I began to feel a bit frustrated with the book.
Lots of promise but sadly not for me
I was provided this through @netgalley and it sounded like a great concept. 70 authors each delving into a straight forward question ‘why do we read?’ But it did not end up to be what I expected.
Maybe I should have heard warning bells at my main issue 70 authors. Whilst I still think the concept behind this book is great I just think it has been poorly executed . Firstly i think 70 is too many contributors, when I started this book I was full of intrigue and was highlighting quotes and tabbing like crazy then I started to realise just as some authors had proposed interesting theories that I wanted to explore more, the next authors essay would begin .
The main problem can be fixed in a very simple way . It needs streamlining , less authors and more from the authors in the book . Instead I found that a lot of what I was reading was repetitive and I began to feel a bit frustrated with the book.
Lots of promise but sadly not for me
June 26, 2025
A good little palate cleansing ‘non-ella’ collating short articles from some of the great nonfiction writers of the world reflecting on just that, the reading of, and love for, non fiction.
May 7, 2022
It is very hard to rate this book..
Felt like it had no beginning and had no end, just the notes that were stuck in the middle... Some mini essays were interesting, some of them seemed repetitive...
Overall it lacked some kind of unity and structure. It felt like I got into someone's drawer and read random notes from there.
I had an answer for myself as to why I read before I read this collection of thoughts, but it was entertaining in a way when I would agree or disagree with the authors as I read through it..
Thank you #NetGalley for my free copy in return for a review
Felt like it had no beginning and had no end, just the notes that were stuck in the middle... Some mini essays were interesting, some of them seemed repetitive...
Overall it lacked some kind of unity and structure. It felt like I got into someone's drawer and read random notes from there.
I had an answer for myself as to why I read before I read this collection of thoughts, but it was entertaining in a way when I would agree or disagree with the authors as I read through it..
Thank you #NetGalley for my free copy in return for a review
May 3, 2022
This is a collection of reasons why, according to essay authors, you should read essays and more.
I read basically fiction I must admit, and when I read essays, I always buy the same authors, so most of the authors of the opinions collected in this text, I did not know, with some famous exceptions. Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading about different reasons and opinions and the one that stuck in my mind the most, although I don't remember who said it, is that you read it because every book leads to another book, which pretty much sums up my philosophy of life.
Questa é una raccolta delle ragioni per cui, secondo degli autori di saggi, bisognerebbe leggere i saggi e non solo.
Io leggo fondamentalmente fiction devo ammettere, e quando leggo dei saggi, sono solita comprare sempre i soliti autori, quindi la maggior parte delgli autori delle opinioni raccolte in questo testo, non li conoscevo, tranne alcune famose eccezioni. Ciononostante, mi é piaciuto leggere di ragioni e pareri diversi e quella che piú mi é rimasta in mente, anche se non mi ricordo chi l'ha detta, é che si legge perché ogni libro porta ad un altro libro, il che riassume praticamente la mia filosofia di vita.
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
I read basically fiction I must admit, and when I read essays, I always buy the same authors, so most of the authors of the opinions collected in this text, I did not know, with some famous exceptions. Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading about different reasons and opinions and the one that stuck in my mind the most, although I don't remember who said it, is that you read it because every book leads to another book, which pretty much sums up my philosophy of life.
Questa é una raccolta delle ragioni per cui, secondo degli autori di saggi, bisognerebbe leggere i saggi e non solo.
Io leggo fondamentalmente fiction devo ammettere, e quando leggo dei saggi, sono solita comprare sempre i soliti autori, quindi la maggior parte delgli autori delle opinioni raccolte in questo testo, non li conoscevo, tranne alcune famose eccezioni. Ciononostante, mi é piaciuto leggere di ragioni e pareri diversi e quella che piú mi é rimasta in mente, anche se non mi ricordo chi l'ha detta, é che si legge perché ogni libro porta ad un altro libro, il che riassume praticamente la mia filosofia di vita.
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
December 1, 2023
now i wanna read all non-fiction
May 1, 2022
I have been incredibly lucky to grow up in a household and family who value reading. From fiction to non-fiction I was always encouraged to read, once I could, and question. I have to admit in my younger years non-fiction was a tad secondary unless it was on one of my obsessions; Ancient Egypt or Dinosaurs! Both of which I still read about when I have the time. This love of reading transferred into my degrees where the joy of non-fiction arose again. From critical theory to philosophy to biography (although this one can potentially fall into fiction too) I discovered the joy of non-fiction again. The great feeling of being able to discuss a topic you love in depth, to learn and retain a bit more knowledge. Needless to say when I saw this collection I was intrigued. Did others find the same feeling. Did people do what I do with my family, discuss our own loves and obsessions sharing information and facts to delight and entertain. I can certainly say I was not disappointed.
The premise of the book is simple. Why do we read non-fiction? Is it just to find answers to questions be it for school, university or work? Or is it for pleasure, a challenge or meaning? The collection of 70 writings include a range of people including Hilton Als to Nicci Gerrard. The result is a celebration of seeing the world in new ways and for potentially having our minds and points of view changed.
I found something to take away in each entry of this collection but I particularly liked Scott Hershovitz entry that likens reading of any kind to a superpower as well as Ananyo Bhattacharya who likens reading to ‘a necessity. Like drawing breath.’ I would highly recommend this collection to those who want to consider and open discussion about why we read and maybe not just non-fiction. It gives a fascinating insight into the minds of contemporary writers and thinkers and is a wonderful reminder that the art and joy of reading be it fiction or fact is still very much alive and well.
As always thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to an E-ARC of this collection.
The premise of the book is simple. Why do we read non-fiction? Is it just to find answers to questions be it for school, university or work? Or is it for pleasure, a challenge or meaning? The collection of 70 writings include a range of people including Hilton Als to Nicci Gerrard. The result is a celebration of seeing the world in new ways and for potentially having our minds and points of view changed.
I found something to take away in each entry of this collection but I particularly liked Scott Hershovitz entry that likens reading of any kind to a superpower as well as Ananyo Bhattacharya who likens reading to ‘a necessity. Like drawing breath.’ I would highly recommend this collection to those who want to consider and open discussion about why we read and maybe not just non-fiction. It gives a fascinating insight into the minds of contemporary writers and thinkers and is a wonderful reminder that the art and joy of reading be it fiction or fact is still very much alive and well.
As always thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to an E-ARC of this collection.
December 4, 2022
70 authors wrote small essays about why they read. Non-fiction books. i rated this 4 stars because it was about non-fiction books. But I also rated this 4 stars because there were plenty of authors who just decided to write about reading books in general, not specifically non-fiction. And because that gave me a reason to continue reading the book, I also started looking at non-fiction books from another angle. I always somehow relate non-fiction books to self-help books, which are 90% crap. But the authors elaborated how non-fiction books can be science books, biographies, politics, beliefs, opinions. I loved it. I just kept underlining brilliant definitions of books.
“Reading is about different worlds, often described from perspectives and experiences that are very different from mine, teaches me how there are things that I don’t even know that I don’t know”
“Anything that takes me beyond the narrow confines of my own discipline”
“Exercise in freedom of mind”
“I read to try to undo the cultural gaslighting”
“i read cause I can”
“In the west, we tend to assume that because something has been recorded, it will stay recorded. Yet in China, there is no guarantee that that is the case” writes a Chinese author. I gasped.
This book is very good. Very good to open whichever page you want, and it will tell you why you should keep on reading books, fiction, non-fiction, articles, poems, whatever.
“Reading is about different worlds, often described from perspectives and experiences that are very different from mine, teaches me how there are things that I don’t even know that I don’t know”
“Anything that takes me beyond the narrow confines of my own discipline”
“Exercise in freedom of mind”
“I read to try to undo the cultural gaslighting”
“i read cause I can”
“In the west, we tend to assume that because something has been recorded, it will stay recorded. Yet in China, there is no guarantee that that is the case” writes a Chinese author. I gasped.
This book is very good. Very good to open whichever page you want, and it will tell you why you should keep on reading books, fiction, non-fiction, articles, poems, whatever.
May 28, 2025
Slavoj Žižek's broke my brain. Sofi Thanhauser!!! Richard Dawkins & my much beloved middle school science teacher. Did this book have to be ordered alphabetically? I think thematically might have been a more effective strategy. Some of these people's ideas would have flowed easily into one another. Seneca wouldn't approve of the speed at which we jumped from writer to writer. Pretend I finished this book a month earlier.
October 1, 2022
Inspiring. I knew why I read... but I loved to explore other's great minds reason's for it, what led them to this passion and why we should read more. Simple, quick read, I enjoyed it.
October 1, 2023
Ganske mange gode essay, ganske mange som jeg ikke likte like godt. Følte mange av dem egentlig sa mye av det samme, og hadde ikke fått med meg at det var «70 writers on non-fiction», og ikke «70 writers on fiction»….
May 5, 2024
If you are looking for a collection of mawkish quotes about reading, this is the book for you.
If sifting through seventy (SEVENTY!) essays for the few with something truly new to say seems a lot, then… probably not.
I don’t know why it wasn’t obvious to me before, that a book about WHY WE READ would be filled with a lot of navel-gazing and verbosity. Asking readers and writers why we read, is like asking a runner why they run, or a cross-fitter why they cross fit. While a variety of journeys abound, it eventually comes down to some sentimental parallel drawn to life itself.
Harsh? Well, I’m known to be self-critical, and I can’t promise that I wouldn’t have written something very similar.
Honestly, I’m way past judging people who don’t read, and I’m way past arguing about fiction vs non-fiction. Sweet or savoury? Cats or dogs? Inhale or exhale? (Borrowing from a meme currently doing the rounds, but apt enough.)
I suppose I struggled to enjoy Why We Read because I kept thinking, “This feels like a high school essay prompt,” and, “The people who read this book most likely already believe in reading,” and so, it felt almost pointless, because I’m becoming less sentimental and I don’t like for reading to be a saccharine, exclusive thing.
I will keep some of the clever quotes, but I still think I would’ve rather read these as a series of blog posts, to dip into every once in a while, than a whole entire book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Press UK for providing an eARC for honest review.
If sifting through seventy (SEVENTY!) essays for the few with something truly new to say seems a lot, then… probably not.
I don’t know why it wasn’t obvious to me before, that a book about WHY WE READ would be filled with a lot of navel-gazing and verbosity. Asking readers and writers why we read, is like asking a runner why they run, or a cross-fitter why they cross fit. While a variety of journeys abound, it eventually comes down to some sentimental parallel drawn to life itself.
Harsh? Well, I’m known to be self-critical, and I can’t promise that I wouldn’t have written something very similar.
Honestly, I’m way past judging people who don’t read, and I’m way past arguing about fiction vs non-fiction. Sweet or savoury? Cats or dogs? Inhale or exhale? (Borrowing from a meme currently doing the rounds, but apt enough.)
I suppose I struggled to enjoy Why We Read because I kept thinking, “This feels like a high school essay prompt,” and, “The people who read this book most likely already believe in reading,” and so, it felt almost pointless, because I’m becoming less sentimental and I don’t like for reading to be a saccharine, exclusive thing.
I will keep some of the clever quotes, but I still think I would’ve rather read these as a series of blog posts, to dip into every once in a while, than a whole entire book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Press UK for providing an eARC for honest review.
March 4, 2023
Kirjaston kautta bongattuja täysin satunnaisia kirjoja :D Kaikkiaan ihan kiva välipalakirja. Lyhyitä tekstejä tietokirjailijoilta. Jotkut tekstit olivat vähän hölmöjä, jotkut todella kauniita. Mitä tällaisesta nyt oikein sanoisi…
Read
March 19, 2025This book - from a Storyhouse library sale shelf - came to me at a good time. I am reading a lot more non-fiction, previously about 1 in 3, and now matching fiction almost 50/50. I’ve not fallen out of love with fiction, just finding more genres of interest, including biography/memoirs, history, travel, and a broader category of theology & spirituality … as well as my go-to popular ‘pop’ science & psychology. I’ve also discovered a genre called ‘narrative non fiction’, which can encapsulate many of the above, within a storytelling construct. The key to all of this, the reason I read fiction and/or non-fiction (a fairly arbitrary split, as one of the contributors points out) is about stories. I don’t read books to acquire facts but to be entertained, engrossed (to the exclusion of all else), to get a deeper understanding of a subject (the meaning of the word ‘read’ that pre-dates writing, another WWR contribution), essentially to ‘know’ things about the world and oneself.
It’s interesting to read the range of answers - mini essays - from 70 non-fiction authors, most of which resonated with me. However, the collection didn’t really offer any overall structure or thematic threads; the editor(!) simply presenting the authors alphabetically, with no introduction, conclusion or index. Much the same as my feelings about poetry and short stories, not quite seeing the point! I’m obviously a very ‘goal-oriented’ reader, fiction or non-fiction. The smaller investment of time to read each part-work correlates almost directly with the time it takes to leak out of my mind and memory!
Back to this collection, a few authors and contributions that I noted, but really this could be any or all of the essays in such a rich and thoughtful collection.
Matthew Desmond - a secondary quote, ‘[we] are entitled to our own opinions but not our own facts’. The regret that we are reading less, and a comparison of the books that George Washington, Eisenhower, and the current White House incumbent read! (dated 2016). Tweeting (social media micro-posts) as the opposite of writing
David Edgerton - the value of the written word over pictures (other media and modes of information distribution), ‘Most biographies are just novels with indexes’
Richard J.Evans - ‘The Reader’, the holocaust, and an incorrect correlation between reading and prejudice, or lack of it. Another reference to reading as a more active, critical facility vs. social media (and the dangers of fake news) … mentioned in a few essays?
Gerd Gigerenzer - reading out loud and the ancients and why and when it started to be a solo silent activity; the separation of words to aid speed reading in the C7th C8th, who knew! The relationship and ‘trust’ between the author and the reader.
Daniel Susskind - Jews described (originally in the Qur’an) as the ‘People of the Book’ (the Hebrew Bible), or in a more secular world possibly, the ‘People of the Books’? The proper treatment of a dropped or ‘a tired of faded’ prayer book, the latter to be buried with proper funeral rights (sic). An often-quoted phrase, but meaningful in this collection, ‘… non-fiction books matter because we are what we read’.
Esme Weijun Wang - the power of memoir, reading about other people’s lives (when we only have our single life to live), notably Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl, about enduring a concentration camp.
It’s interesting to read the range of answers - mini essays - from 70 non-fiction authors, most of which resonated with me. However, the collection didn’t really offer any overall structure or thematic threads; the editor(!) simply presenting the authors alphabetically, with no introduction, conclusion or index. Much the same as my feelings about poetry and short stories, not quite seeing the point! I’m obviously a very ‘goal-oriented’ reader, fiction or non-fiction. The smaller investment of time to read each part-work correlates almost directly with the time it takes to leak out of my mind and memory!
Back to this collection, a few authors and contributions that I noted, but really this could be any or all of the essays in such a rich and thoughtful collection.
Matthew Desmond - a secondary quote, ‘[we] are entitled to our own opinions but not our own facts’. The regret that we are reading less, and a comparison of the books that George Washington, Eisenhower, and the current White House incumbent read! (dated 2016). Tweeting (social media micro-posts) as the opposite of writing
David Edgerton - the value of the written word over pictures (other media and modes of information distribution), ‘Most biographies are just novels with indexes’
Richard J.Evans - ‘The Reader’, the holocaust, and an incorrect correlation between reading and prejudice, or lack of it. Another reference to reading as a more active, critical facility vs. social media (and the dangers of fake news) … mentioned in a few essays?
Gerd Gigerenzer - reading out loud and the ancients and why and when it started to be a solo silent activity; the separation of words to aid speed reading in the C7th C8th, who knew! The relationship and ‘trust’ between the author and the reader.
Daniel Susskind - Jews described (originally in the Qur’an) as the ‘People of the Book’ (the Hebrew Bible), or in a more secular world possibly, the ‘People of the Books’? The proper treatment of a dropped or ‘a tired of faded’ prayer book, the latter to be buried with proper funeral rights (sic). An often-quoted phrase, but meaningful in this collection, ‘… non-fiction books matter because we are what we read’.
Esme Weijun Wang - the power of memoir, reading about other people’s lives (when we only have our single life to live), notably Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl, about enduring a concentration camp.
May 3, 2022
Fun, thought provoking and affirming, I paused having read without break about a quarter of these delightful short essays by writers about reading (mainly about reading in book form),and read the whole in about two days.
It’s not a book that is going to make someone who doesn’t read, want to read, because that type of person (generalising) is unlikely to pick up this book, and it relies upon the person reading the book already knowing the pleasure of reading. However, this book is a pleasure for those of us who do read.
Spoiler alert: Don’t read Richard J Evans essay if you want to read Berhard Schlink’s The Reader without spoiler.
A couple of quotes from writers I have read about this question:
”We read books to find out who we are.”
— Ursule Le Guin, The Language of the Night, 1979
”There’s a pleasure in knowing the names of things. It’s not about a need to categorise the world, sectioning it into little boxes. And clearly you don’t have to know the names of rocks – or trees or plants or birds – in order to enjoy a landscape. But if you do have this information, something changes about the way you exist in that space. A named landscape thickens. It’s to do with history and context but also, I think, with the quality of attention. To assign something its name, you need to take the time to pick out identifying features. You look for longer. And the more you know, the more things stop being a backdrop – blurred, indistinguishable, hurried over – and become somehow more present in the view, more insistently themselves, the way a familiar face stands out in a crowd.”
— Helen Gordon, Notes from Deep Time, 2021
It’s not a book that is going to make someone who doesn’t read, want to read, because that type of person (generalising) is unlikely to pick up this book, and it relies upon the person reading the book already knowing the pleasure of reading. However, this book is a pleasure for those of us who do read.
Spoiler alert: Don’t read Richard J Evans essay if you want to read Berhard Schlink’s The Reader without spoiler.
A couple of quotes from writers I have read about this question:
”We read books to find out who we are.”
— Ursule Le Guin, The Language of the Night, 1979
”There’s a pleasure in knowing the names of things. It’s not about a need to categorise the world, sectioning it into little boxes. And clearly you don’t have to know the names of rocks – or trees or plants or birds – in order to enjoy a landscape. But if you do have this information, something changes about the way you exist in that space. A named landscape thickens. It’s to do with history and context but also, I think, with the quality of attention. To assign something its name, you need to take the time to pick out identifying features. You look for longer. And the more you know, the more things stop being a backdrop – blurred, indistinguishable, hurried over – and become somehow more present in the view, more insistently themselves, the way a familiar face stands out in a crowd.”
— Helen Gordon, Notes from Deep Time, 2021
August 4, 2022
Although I am a huge reader and I know exactly why I read I was very interested in why other people share the same love of this supreme activity and I was hoping for some gems and a bit of a love fest really.
For some reason I had not absorbed the fact that this really was about reading non fiction. This fact is made clear (though not enough for me) in an orange subtext on the cover ’70 writers on Non Fiction’. Most writers stuck firmly to non-fiction but I welcomed the pieces which were more all encompassing and went outside their brief to include fiction too. For me reasons to read non-fiction are a little more obvious…or perhaps they aren’t!
The book is a collection of essays/pieces from 70 writers. I guess they have an invested interested in reading!! There isn’t an introduction - certainly not in my proof copy - and I feel that this book would really benefit from a curator’s careful gathering together in a piece at the start. What was the idea behind the book, how were the writers selected, what was their brief?
It’s probably best to dip into this book rather than the whistlestop journey I took. Just as writers vary, the style and approach varied greatly but suffice to say that the writing is cerebral, philosophical and in most cases the kind of books that the writers mentioned reading were nowhere within my range. However, this is a book with seams of joy, delightful quotes that you underline and hold close to your heart and delight in the shared love of books!
With many thanks to Penguin Press UK and Netgalley for my digital copy of this book.
For some reason I had not absorbed the fact that this really was about reading non fiction. This fact is made clear (though not enough for me) in an orange subtext on the cover ’70 writers on Non Fiction’. Most writers stuck firmly to non-fiction but I welcomed the pieces which were more all encompassing and went outside their brief to include fiction too. For me reasons to read non-fiction are a little more obvious…or perhaps they aren’t!
The book is a collection of essays/pieces from 70 writers. I guess they have an invested interested in reading!! There isn’t an introduction - certainly not in my proof copy - and I feel that this book would really benefit from a curator’s careful gathering together in a piece at the start. What was the idea behind the book, how were the writers selected, what was their brief?
It’s probably best to dip into this book rather than the whistlestop journey I took. Just as writers vary, the style and approach varied greatly but suffice to say that the writing is cerebral, philosophical and in most cases the kind of books that the writers mentioned reading were nowhere within my range. However, this is a book with seams of joy, delightful quotes that you underline and hold close to your heart and delight in the shared love of books!
With many thanks to Penguin Press UK and Netgalley for my digital copy of this book.
May 23, 2022
Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a handy little book of essays on reading non-fiction penned by just about every bestselling non-fic author of the last decade you can think of. A good primer, or perhaps even a coffee table book, this book has a lot more breadth than depth, taking in disciplines ranging from religious studies to the sciences. This book is probably best read by dipping into it to seek out your favourite thinkers, or maybe to find something new to read elsewhere - university staff might also find it useful to set a few of these as required reading for students in any discipline to really drive home the importance of reading alongside study.
This book is, at its strongest, a manifesto for the enfranchising power of reading. At it's weakest, it's a lot of writers driving home the same points over and over. It seems that there has been no differentiation between authors with the prompt given - why do you read? So, really, many of them have had the same ideas. The best ones are the essays that have taken the time and space to really consider the importance of reading - Priya Satia and Sofi Thanhauser's pieces stand out in this regard. It seems that what this has come down to is sheer quantity over quality. I think ultimately 10-15 writers going in depth might have worked better for me.
Ultimately, a fun one to dip into, or a good starting off point for wider reading.
This is a handy little book of essays on reading non-fiction penned by just about every bestselling non-fic author of the last decade you can think of. A good primer, or perhaps even a coffee table book, this book has a lot more breadth than depth, taking in disciplines ranging from religious studies to the sciences. This book is probably best read by dipping into it to seek out your favourite thinkers, or maybe to find something new to read elsewhere - university staff might also find it useful to set a few of these as required reading for students in any discipline to really drive home the importance of reading alongside study.
This book is, at its strongest, a manifesto for the enfranchising power of reading. At it's weakest, it's a lot of writers driving home the same points over and over. It seems that there has been no differentiation between authors with the prompt given - why do you read? So, really, many of them have had the same ideas. The best ones are the essays that have taken the time and space to really consider the importance of reading - Priya Satia and Sofi Thanhauser's pieces stand out in this regard. It seems that what this has come down to is sheer quantity over quality. I think ultimately 10-15 writers going in depth might have worked better for me.
Ultimately, a fun one to dip into, or a good starting off point for wider reading.
May 3, 2025
Non-fiction reading does not have the same kind of appeal as reading fiction books. Why We Read is a book that attempts to explain to the reader why they should read non-fiction books. The book is made up of 70 essays which attempt to explain to the reader why they should read non-fiction.
The essays vary in reason. Some argue that reading non-fiction makes them better at understanding the world. Others argue that there is improvement in ourselves when we read. For me the most convincing essays were Milo Beckman's essay and Steven Pinker. Milo Beckman says that reading becomes a gateway to the world, enabling the preservation of knowledge and culture. Steven Pinker argues that reading helps personal development in becoming better people. Education through reading leads to more enlightened values and more civic participation.
I would say that this book isn't particularly useful for those who already read non-fiction and is more of a motivational guide for readers who mainly read fiction to branch out into nonfiction. This is something that may or may not be effective. I would say that the best arguments for reading are ones that I have and could be found in the book. Why read non-fiction. Reading non-fiction improves knowledge, improves one's intellect, improves their empathy, improves understanding of the world, and improves their effectiveness. There are others.
A reasonably useful guide as to why a person should read Non-fiction books.
The essays vary in reason. Some argue that reading non-fiction makes them better at understanding the world. Others argue that there is improvement in ourselves when we read. For me the most convincing essays were Milo Beckman's essay and Steven Pinker. Milo Beckman says that reading becomes a gateway to the world, enabling the preservation of knowledge and culture. Steven Pinker argues that reading helps personal development in becoming better people. Education through reading leads to more enlightened values and more civic participation.
I would say that this book isn't particularly useful for those who already read non-fiction and is more of a motivational guide for readers who mainly read fiction to branch out into nonfiction. This is something that may or may not be effective. I would say that the best arguments for reading are ones that I have and could be found in the book. Why read non-fiction. Reading non-fiction improves knowledge, improves one's intellect, improves their empathy, improves understanding of the world, and improves their effectiveness. There are others.
A reasonably useful guide as to why a person should read Non-fiction books.
August 23, 2022
I really enjoyed dipping in and out of this short anthology of essays on why reading non-fiction draws in these authors and storytellers. I loved how it highlighted that we don’t read non-fiction in isolation to fiction - and that the line between the two is blurrier than people often imagine. At the heart of all books, fiction or non-fiction alike is stories.
There were some really beautiful accounts of why we read included. I can’t remember half of my favourites but I know that Lucy Jones, Scott Hershovitz and David Wengrow were among them.
My least favourite was Niall Ferguson, who sticks in my mind for placing books not as among some of the best forms of storytelling but above all. I’m bored of people who prefer books placing them on a moral high ground to other forms of media. I love books. I think books offer a rare insight into the lives of others that you can’t see on screen, or not in the same depth. That aside, I also love film - it can be imaginative and playful and hard-hitting. Games are the only format of storytelling where you are not just experiencing something from a point of view, you are actually experiencing those things as that person. I don’t think that is ‘lazy’. I think they are all unique and wonderful.
There were some really beautiful accounts of why we read included. I can’t remember half of my favourites but I know that Lucy Jones, Scott Hershovitz and David Wengrow were among them.
My least favourite was Niall Ferguson, who sticks in my mind for placing books not as among some of the best forms of storytelling but above all. I’m bored of people who prefer books placing them on a moral high ground to other forms of media. I love books. I think books offer a rare insight into the lives of others that you can’t see on screen, or not in the same depth. That aside, I also love film - it can be imaginative and playful and hard-hitting. Games are the only format of storytelling where you are not just experiencing something from a point of view, you are actually experiencing those things as that person. I don’t think that is ‘lazy’. I think they are all unique and wonderful.
September 30, 2022
As someone who is an avid non fiction reader (almost all of my books this year have been NF), it was very reassuring to spot this book. I found it validating in my interests, making the case for non fiction appreciation alongside fiction and recognising not only the power/knowledge of non fiction but the beauty/elegance that can occur from its writing. While a lot of the points made across authors were very similar, they still each offered something different however minor it may have been. I liked reading this book as it just felt suited to me, and reminded me of the connection, communion and joy that comes with reading. It was most interesting to have read authors perspectives on reading, often its significance to their practice but also its significance to the bettering of their lives. Also, my ego got a boost from recognising a number of the authors mentioned in the book (Le Guin, Dyer, Didion…)
October 1, 2022
The typical response to why we read would be 'to make the best use of your time' and 'to expand your horizons and vocabulary'. This book reminds us that reading is much more than that. It gives you the urge to find a book and read it, and find the beauty in it.
I tend to agree with Moose Allain’s tweet where he says “Your bookshelves are a kind of autobiography”. In Arabic, a popular saying is “Tell me who you befriend; I’ll tell you who you are”. Celebrated Abbasid poet, Al Mutanabbi, further articulates “The best companion of all time is a book”. Therefore, if you allow your books to be your best friend, your personality would be shaped by what you read. Your character is your library!
I've written a full review on substack. Check it out
https://finbookvalue.substack.com/p/w...
I tend to agree with Moose Allain’s tweet where he says “Your bookshelves are a kind of autobiography”. In Arabic, a popular saying is “Tell me who you befriend; I’ll tell you who you are”. Celebrated Abbasid poet, Al Mutanabbi, further articulates “The best companion of all time is a book”. Therefore, if you allow your books to be your best friend, your personality would be shaped by what you read. Your character is your library!
I've written a full review on substack. Check it out
https://finbookvalue.substack.com/p/w...
October 18, 2022
Insights into why the featured authors read
I’ll be honest, while the title accurately describes the book it wasn’t what I was expecting. Rather than being a book on why we read drawing on the experiences of the writers it’s a collection of short essays written by each if them talking about why they read.
While this gave me insights into each of the writers I felt that it’s really a book for people who already avid readers. I don’t think that people who aren’t already readers would be drawn to this book or that it would make them want to start reading more.
In some ways I felt that this was a missed opportunity and that the book could have been so much more had it used the essays as source materials and actually looked at why we read. For me it was more a book to dip into than one to read cover to cover.
I’ll be honest, while the title accurately describes the book it wasn’t what I was expecting. Rather than being a book on why we read drawing on the experiences of the writers it’s a collection of short essays written by each if them talking about why they read.
While this gave me insights into each of the writers I felt that it’s really a book for people who already avid readers. I don’t think that people who aren’t already readers would be drawn to this book or that it would make them want to start reading more.
In some ways I felt that this was a missed opportunity and that the book could have been so much more had it used the essays as source materials and actually looked at why we read. For me it was more a book to dip into than one to read cover to cover.
October 31, 2022
I think this book will appeal to people who read a lot of non fiction. It isn’t ‘why we read’ in the sense of the author, you and me as ‘we’ but as a group of well known people and why they read. I loved it. I felt like I was sitting with fascinating people getting an insight into their mind.
There are the usual reasons people read - education, entertainment, research, personal interest - but other reasons pop up. Steven Pinker thinks literacy is an engine of human progress. Jennifer Jacquet believes the reader gets results from non fiction that are different to the same writers fiction - she mentions Joan Didion and Ursula Le Guin among others.
I think if you pick up this book and read a couple of the articles you will be rewarded. It is not a book to read through in one sitting. For me it is to be dipped into as a treat.
I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley
There are the usual reasons people read - education, entertainment, research, personal interest - but other reasons pop up. Steven Pinker thinks literacy is an engine of human progress. Jennifer Jacquet believes the reader gets results from non fiction that are different to the same writers fiction - she mentions Joan Didion and Ursula Le Guin among others.
I think if you pick up this book and read a couple of the articles you will be rewarded. It is not a book to read through in one sitting. For me it is to be dipped into as a treat.
I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley
May 5, 2022
There are many brilliant answers to the question why we read in this short book. It contains seventy diverse takes from renowned writers on the pleasures and joys of reading. All are very personal takes. Some are simple, short and sweet, some long and intricately woven. Some beautifully written in themselves, while others, perhaps less well written, but sharp and insightful nonetheless. We read I've learned for satisfaction, growth, therapy, guidance, inspiration, agency, pleasure, adventure, discovery, rediscovery, improvement, knowledge, education, challenge, meaning, habit, addiction, compulsion, affliction, necessity, solace....this books contains an endless and beautiful array of perspectives on why we humans read. Why wouldn't you read it?
Read
May 8, 20223.5/5
Why We Read is an interesting collection of thoughts on non-fiction offered by various writers. Some of them encapsulated pretty well why I like reading, and the reasons I like reading non-fiction. I also recognise some of these writers, such as Daniel Susskind, and I found it nice that we were given a window into their musings on subjects other than their expertise. Some of them write with elegant and smart turn of phrases that I enjoyed.
Overall, it was a pretty quick and easy read, though I must say there was not much in particular that stood out, in terms of original thought. The idea to have a collection of short essays on non-fiction specifically, as opposed to just reading, also seems pretty random.
Thanks NetGalley and Penguin UK for the e-arc!
Why We Read is an interesting collection of thoughts on non-fiction offered by various writers. Some of them encapsulated pretty well why I like reading, and the reasons I like reading non-fiction. I also recognise some of these writers, such as Daniel Susskind, and I found it nice that we were given a window into their musings on subjects other than their expertise. Some of them write with elegant and smart turn of phrases that I enjoyed.
Overall, it was a pretty quick and easy read, though I must say there was not much in particular that stood out, in terms of original thought. The idea to have a collection of short essays on non-fiction specifically, as opposed to just reading, also seems pretty random.
Thanks NetGalley and Penguin UK for the e-arc!
May 20, 2022
Why We Read is a book about books - a vast collection of essays from writers all trying to explain and analyse why we read non-fiction and what we gain from it.
The definition of a mixed-bag, we hear the most clear-cut answers about the scientific reasons, about the knowledge we obtain, to musings and ponderings about why we as humans feel compelled to read and write and the cerebral, emotional desires to surround ourselves with words.
Of course, nobody is going to like every submission, especially one with 70 contributors - and I definitely found some of these a bit impassionate and mildly pretentious but I would still definitely recommend any book lover to pick this up and think about why you read.
Why We Read is a book about books - a vast collection of essays from writers all trying to explain and analyse why we read non-fiction and what we gain from it.
The definition of a mixed-bag, we hear the most clear-cut answers about the scientific reasons, about the knowledge we obtain, to musings and ponderings about why we as humans feel compelled to read and write and the cerebral, emotional desires to surround ourselves with words.
Of course, nobody is going to like every submission, especially one with 70 contributors - and I definitely found some of these a bit impassionate and mildly pretentious but I would still definitely recommend any book lover to pick this up and think about why you read.
June 20, 2022
Why We Read is a compilation of short essays from seventy writers on their experiences of and reasons for reading non-fiction. The essays range from a few paragraphs to a few pages in length, so this is a good book for dipping into when you have a couple of minutes, and it would appeal to anyone who likes hearing authors talk about their reading and writing habits at book events.
Some of the essays cover ground which could apply to reading either fiction or non-fiction, while some are grounded in specific non-fiction topics of interest to the writer. Some tackle the importance of the written word itself and its reliability in a sea of more ephemeral content, or the notion of reading as a key to understanding the experiences and thoughts of others.
Some of the essays cover ground which could apply to reading either fiction or non-fiction, while some are grounded in specific non-fiction topics of interest to the writer. Some tackle the importance of the written word itself and its reliability in a sea of more ephemeral content, or the notion of reading as a key to understanding the experiences and thoughts of others.
December 25, 2023
A collection of opinions from non fiction authors 'preaching' on why they read nonfiction. That's it....
Some of these opinions were highly condescending and pretentious, and I found it difficult to continue forward with the rest. and there are a lot of repetitive opinions here.
I feel like this book was also not structured well - looks like they just collected essays from authors and published it into one book - which made it hard for me to read because there are either some repetitive ones consecutively or some that feels so contrasting to the previous one that I found it hard to read.
Maybe it would have a worked as a magazine article... but definitely not as a book.
Can't really recommend this to be honest.
Some of these opinions were highly condescending and pretentious, and I found it difficult to continue forward with the rest. and there are a lot of repetitive opinions here.
I feel like this book was also not structured well - looks like they just collected essays from authors and published it into one book - which made it hard for me to read because there are either some repetitive ones consecutively or some that feels so contrasting to the previous one that I found it hard to read.
Maybe it would have a worked as a magazine article... but definitely not as a book.
Can't really recommend this to be honest.
August 1, 2024
This very short book has some real gems in it. Some quite famous authors and historians explain not only why they read but also why they buy books, and why they write. And while so many books about reading and writing focus on fiction, this one takes a slightly different path. One of the authors even takes on that distinction itself, between fiction and non-fiction. Why not, for example, books about gardening and books not about gardening? An uneven work, inevitably, as writers were clearly given considerable leverage regarding what they could write. But on the whole, an enjoyable way to spend an hour or two.
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