About

I often find myself explaining to my students why reading is important and preaching that they can find useful life lessons in almost every book. The main point of reading is to find some way to take ownership of the words we consume. Reading is a highly personal activity, and I often shudder when students are told to avoid personal pronouns, like including ourselves in our writing is egotistical or unprofessional.  A book can entertain us, improve our mental and physical health, help us wrestle with life’s mysteries, get in touch with human emotions, understand people and cultures, and, my favorite benefit, inspire and motivate us. We were meant to say “I” when discussing literature.

This year I plan to read and review at least 100 books and post the reviews on this blog. These aren’t your typical book reviews. Yes, I will be honest, but I am less concerned with the literary quality of the book, and more concerned with the didactic gems that can be excavated from the layers of precious text.  After every review, I will add a section titled, “Life Lessons,” which highlights the implications the book can have on my own life. I hope that this blog provides readers not only with a way to familiarize themselves with new books, but as a source of inspiration and reminder of why reading is so valuable.