TED Talk - Why Reading Matters

Submitted by Bubbling Sprin… on

Do you want to take a short break from all the reports about the “New Normal” we’re in right now? That can be difficult to do, since most of our homes are full of devices that can constantly remind us of just how dystopian the real world seems to be these days. To get that dedicated break from it, try a medium that will keep you free of those distractions in a way that our ubiquitous screens will not. You see where I'm going with this?

If you want to cut to the chase and get right into your book of choice, here is a summarizing quote taken from the TED Talk itself:

“…your brain needs a workout as much as your body. And reading fiction seems to be one of the best workouts you can get. And not only is it good for you, but it's also good for society as a whole because the brain is like a muscle: the more you force yourself through books to take other people's perspectives, to sympathize, to empathize with other people, the more empathetic a society we will have.”

Do you need some ideas about what to read? Try our Staff Picks or take a look at our NoveList Plus reading suggestion resource. You may also choose to accept this friendly invitation to join your neighborhood Bard by contemplating some more profound dystopias like those found in the pages of 1984, Brave New World, or The Handmaid's Tale. That just might cast a little more light on to this one.

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