Even in this fast-paced lifestyle that technology has brought us, some people still have a passion for serious reading. In this book, you could see the love of the author, Wendy Lesser to reading, or more exactly, to reading literature and the joy that books bring her.

Lesser is an erudite and passionate reader. As the founding editor of one of the most distinguished literary magazines in the US, “The Threepenny Review”, she articulates insights and thoughts on the reading process. She explores novels, stories, plays, poems, essays, and even mysteries, science fiction, crime fiction and memoirs, examining readings from perspectives such as “Chapter and Plot”, “Novelty”, “Authority”, “Grandeur and Intimacy” etc… The effects of translation on readers and her attachment to actual books rather than a digital one are also touched.

She talks at length and depth about her pleasurable reading experiences with numerous examples such as “Davide Copperfield” by Charles Dickens, “Don Quixote” by Miguel de Cervantes and “The Wings of the Dove” by Henry James. Many works of the identified literary greats like Shakespeare and Dostoyevsky are quoted too. These abundant examples and quotations not only enrich the content of the book but also help readers better understand her perspective.

You might not find a complete answer of why Lesser reads or why people read in this book, as Lesser states at the very beginning of this book. For those who also love reading and want to taste the serious pleasure of literature just as Lesser does, however, this book would be a good guide for their journeys in the world of literature. They would like joining a reading club or attending an advanced course of literature, navigated by Lesser to broaden their reading experiences and to reconsider the true value of reading. Lastly, the list of 100 great books that has given her pleasure, might be a further reason for reading this book.