Alan Jacobs’ book, The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction, will probably not encourage non-readers to begin reading. Rather, Jacobs aims his advice toward those who do read, for whom reading is a regular part of their disciplined life. He insists that reading can be a pleasurable experience, but he is under no allusion that reading this book will cure whatever ails non-readers.
Jacobs offers advice for readers to enjoy the discipline. He explains, first, that we should read what we want to read, even if we have read it already. He calls this “Reading at Whim” and prefers this approach to reading to making lists or following guides for best books. He writes, “Read what gives you delight—at least most of the time—and do so without shame.” We should not read only to know or learn something, as in pursuing a “steady intellectual diet”. He calls this being a “free reader”, free from the constraints of must read into the delights of want to read.
But reading is also for knowing, when, as we read, we are “coding and decoding” the words before us, trying to make sense of them or to fit them into our understanding of the world. Such reading may not always delight us, but we should persist in it anyway, since we may discover or learn something that can add to our overall delight in life. This requires “discipline but not raptness” if we are to upload the content to our bank of knowledge. He writes, “Some forms of intellectual labor are worth the trouble. In those times when Whim isn’t quite enough, times that will come to us all, we discover this. Such work strengthens our minds, makes us more capable of concentration, teaches us patience—and almost certainly a touch of humility as well…”
Reading can help us become a better person, but it will not do so automatically. Other disciplines are required for this. Jacobs encourages taking notes as we read, even creating our own system of notation, to help make us more attentive readers.
Jacobs is a big fan of Kindle, of reading slowly, and reading receptively:
“Reading is supposed to be about the encounter with other minds, not an opportunity to return to the endlessly appealing subject of Me. Americans have enough encouragements to narcissism; let’s try to do without this one.”
While reading, Jacobs says, “will always be a minority pursuit,” those who read should seek to enjoy it more, following their own whim and, when reading for knowledge or out of necessity, reading slowly and attentively, taking notes and responding in margins, that by doing so we may enjoy even the reading our vocation requires. He also encourages finding a “cone of silence” within which to do such reading.
Jacobs concludes, “books are the natural and inevitable and permanent means of being absorbed in something other than the self.” We will reflect on our reading and even pass judgment on it, “so it would behoove us to do it well.” Finally, “Our goal as adults is not to love all books alike, or as few as possible, but rather to love as widely and as well as our limited selves will allow.”
The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction is not an easy read. But it is a worthy one. I recommend it for all readers but especially for those for whom reading is an essential discipline for their walk with and work for the Lord.
Jacobs, Alan. The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction. (Function). Kindle Edition.
