Preface by David C. Downing and Michael G. Maudlin
Part One: On the Art and Joy of Reading
How to Know If You Are a True Reader
Why Children’s Stories Are Not Just for Children
Why Fairy Tales Are Often Less Deceptive Than ‘Realistic’ Stories
The Case for Reading Old Books
Growing Up Amidst a Sea of Books
On Encountering a Favorite Author for the First Time
Why Movies Sometimes Ruin Books
Saving Words from the Eulogistic Abyss
The Achievements of J. R. R. Tolkien
On the Dangers of Confusing Saga with History
On Two Ways of Traveling and Two Ways of Reading
Part Two: Short Readings on Reading
Re-reading Favorites Each Decade
The Glories of Childhood—Versus Adolescence
The Blessing of Correspondence
Communicating the Essence of Our Lives
Appendix: Journal Exercises for Reflecting on Your Reading Life