5 reasons why you should read books

I was not always the hungry-for-books person I am now. I had read Vlad, I fell in love with his writing, but then (once I finished everything he had written) there was a time when I did not read much.

I think the strongest impulse came after reading 'The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair'. At the time, I was casually reading, but this book reminded me of the mirage created by a well-written story. 

After that, I was lucky enough to find a lot of great books and also a lot of crapy books (and here’s how the rule of 100 appeared; if a book does not convince me after reading the first 100 pages, then I go forward to the next one – like the cook in Seinfeld who yelled ‘No more soup for you. Next!’ – for there are so many books to be read and so little time).

When I moved to Germany, my work colleagues (from that time) armed me with the trilogy ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’. I absolutely devoured the books.

Not long afterwards, I found ‘Requiem for crazy people and beasts’ written by Augustin Buzura (a book I cannot cease to recommend), which not only drove me closer to the Romanian literature, but also broke my prejudice regarding the fact that Romanian literature is boring, long and not at all charming. And besides Buzura, you will always hear me recommending Ana Blandiana, ZullyMustafa, Otilia Țeposu, and Ana Barton.

These are just a few of the books that drove me closer to my current love for reading. Who knows, you might find some inspiration as well. One thing is for sure: nothing and no one can make you read more. Firstly, you must want to read, and most of all, the power is within the book. 
Yes, the book. It is powerful enough to charm you, to make you become dependent of the sublime feeling left after finishing a good book.

And because I keep my promises, below are the reasons I was referring to in the title of this post.

1.     Discovery

Whether we talk about new topics or situations similar to what you have experienced, you will be surprised to discover aspects that you have not considered before.

I am truly intrigued by the human mind (I am constantly on the look-out for books that could show me a little more than what I have already understood about the human mind). Maybe this is an explanation to why I love thrillers (where you can check the human mind faced with stress, pressure, frustration, happiness and many more) because a great attention is given to the analysis of deeds and sometimes psyche of the characters.

2.     Conversation

You will engage more freely in conversations. Maybe even talk about different aspects of life, or maybe about books. Moreover, you can make book recommendations – which is not a small thing. Furthermore, your vocabulary will grow and you will surprise yourself with using words that you do not usually use.

3.     Experiencing

I am sure you have heard/ read that many times before. Those who read live just as many lives as the number of books they had read. Besides this, reading a book gives you a taste of a different experience (even though it is not real) that will embellish your hours.

4.     Variety

All literature genres are just as valuable. A wide selection is there for you to check and even the most pretentious can find something interesting to read.

5.     Relaxation

I saved the best for last. Reading makes you feel relaxed. There are a numerous studies certifying the importance of reading if one is depressed. People can thus disconnect from their troubles and take a short break.

For me, the most beautiful moment (besides feeling relaxed) is having the chance to think of other things than what concerns me during that time, and thus being able to find creative solutions. Furthermore, I feel inspired and filled with a sense of well-being due to the fact that I can fly to other lands just by using my mind.

I wish you pages filled with peace and inspiration for your projects!