The importance of a good book

In an age increasingly defined by fragmented attention, ideological polarization and a steady decline in deep reading habits, the act of reading a good book can feel almost countercultural. Yet it is precisely in this environment that books matter more than ever. Reading may seem like a simple task, and one that is already a hobby ingrained in the lives of many, but it remains one of the most powerful tools we have for fostering intellectual growth, empathy and social cohesion.

Concerns about literacy in the United States are not new, but they are increasingly urgent. We have all seen the headlines, the studies, the polls. Many educators report that students are struggling not just with reading comprehension, but with sustained focus on long-form texts. Those shortened attention spans are not only limited to school-aged readers, however. The digital platforms we use so heavily reward brevity, speed and emotional reaction over reflection. This creates mental habits that have consequences for everyone. When we lose the habit of reading deeply, we risk losing the ability to think deeply and critically. Ideas become slogans, arguments become tribes and nuance is flattened into certainty.

In this context, we have witnessed the rise of what is often referred to as “performative reading,” or the idea of reading as a social signal rather than a personal practice. This added layer of complexity makes clear that our society still views reading as important, or “cool” to some extent, but reduces books to props for curated identities in public or online. Some high-profile celebrities even have “book stylists,” who ensure their clients are seen and photographed carrying literature curated to their desired aesthetic. While there is nothing inherently wrong with sharing what we read, the danger lies in substituting appearance for engagement. Reading becomes something we are seen doing, rather than something that changes us.

But genuine reading is transformative in ways that resist performance. A good book slows us down. It demands attention, patience and interpretation. It asks us to inhabit perspectives other than our own and to sit with ambiguity rather than rushing toward certainty. In doing so, reading builds mental habits that are increasingly rare: sustained focus, critical thinking and the ability to hold multiple ideas at once.

These habits are beneficial intellectually, but they can also have moral implications. Reading fiction, memoir or well-argued nonfiction expands our capacity for empathy. When we enter the inner world of another person, especially someone unlike ourselves, we practice the act of understanding without immediate judgement. In an increasingly polarized world, where disagreement can harden into dehumanization, this practice is not trivial. It is foundational.

Moreover, the reading habits of adults can play a profound role in shaping the reading habits of younger learners. When children and adolescents see reading as a chore, a test requirement or a performance metric, they are unlikely to carry it into adulthood with enthusiasm. But if they see reading as a source of curiosity, comfort and discovery, it can become a lifelong habit.

So, next time you pick up a novel to read over a morning coffee or before bed, realize that you are engaging in an act of resistance. By becoming engrossed in a story, you are resisting distraction and oversimplification. You are resisting the urge to reduce people and ideas into easily consumable fragments. Most importantly, you are resisting the erosion of the kind of attention that makes deep understanding possible in the first place.