Reading has lots of benefits. If you’re here on the IWU website, you already that. And you’ve probably read the articles on how it can expand your world (vocabulary; empathy) and prevent what they politely call “cognitive decline.” It’s a great way to relax before sleeping (if you don’t pick up a page-turner who-done-it) and arguably helps with stress and/or depression by giving you a break from yourself for a while.
And sometimes it seems like there are just too many great books out there. (Your IWU editor, as she looks at her TBR stacks, is of this opinion. Not that she’s complaining.)
Reading challenges
One way to approach what may be a bit of a “deer in the headlights,” “what shall I read next?” freeze is to take on a reading challenge. Here are a few:
- Boise Public Library’s Ultimate Book Nerd – read 50 books (print or ebooks) in 50 different categories; sign up; earn swag
- Book Riot’s Read Harder has 24 tasks (and, from the NYPL, here are not-really-cheating suggestions to help you)
- Rediscovered Books has Reading Challenge Bingo
Both of these particular challenges invite the possibility of taking readers beyond the familiar patterns we slide into. (I have to admit: it’s been many years since your IWU editor read a graphic novel AKA comic.)
Or perhaps you (like many) already have teetering stacks of books awaiting, and it’s just a matter of carving your own path through the variety therein.
On the other hand…
There is, as we’re all well aware, a lot of activity from the We Will Decide What You Will Read camp. These people seem to be terrified by the ability of their fellow citizens to read freely,
to affirm that we’re all not identical machines off an assembly line. To confirm that life is complex, and rife with inconvenient or even ugly truths. To challenge our assumptions, and expand our capacity for critical thought and comprehensive understanding. To enjoy ourselves and feel seen.
If this matters to you, scan this informative article so that you’ll know what you’re dealing with when you hear mention of the site/organization BookLooks, RatedBooks, Take Back the Classroom, Screen It First, We The People (Bruce Friedman), and others.
