Want To Live Longer? Read Books
In the recent article Read Books, Live Longer, the New York Times reported on a study that found a connection between book reading and a longer life. In the study of over 3,000 participants, the researchers found that people who read books for over three and a half hours a week lived an average of almost two years longer than those who did not read books at all.
Great news, eh?
Of course, we've known for a long time that books and reading can have a positive influence on quality of life as well. Here are a few books about reading and the importance of books in our lives:
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Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi
Nafisi's memoir tells about her experiences growing up in the Islamic Republic of Iran and about the group of young women who gathered secretly at her home every week to read and discuss great books of Western literature.
• Large Print
• Audiobook
• eBook
• eAudiobook
• Talking Book (Restricted to print disabled patrons)
The Prison Book Club by Ann Walmsley
Ann Walmsley spent eighteen months leading a book club at a men's prison in Kingston. While there, she chronicled the experiences of six book club members and their lives after they left prison.
• eBook
The History of Reading by Alberto Manguel
A set of interlinked essays that follows the quirky 4,000-year-old history of the written word.
• eBook
The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
When Will Schwalbe's mother, Mary Ann, was undergoing chemotherapy, Will and his mom decided to discuss books during her chemotherapy treatments. This book club of two allowed them to speak thoughtfully and honestly, to get to know each other better and helped them to talk about death.
• Large Print
• Audiobook
• eBook
• eAudiobook
• Talking Book (Restricted to print disabled patrons)
• Book Club Set
2 thoughts on “Want To Live Longer? Read Books”
My mom, Beryl, did word puzzles after breakfast, with another cup of coffee. Never used speed dial – she wanted to be able to remember everybody’s phone number. Her style of reading was Maeve Binchy and of course, Catherine Cookson. She lived to be 92, with all her faculties intact.
Enid, thank you for sharing the story about your Mom. True inspiration to keep reading and to make sure to work our minds and our memory every day.