The Pure Joy of Reading

Sometimes in the process of careful analysis, measured comment, and finding the right adjective to describe a novel or a character, I lose track of celebrating the pure JOY of reading. Of course analysis and comment are useful and important too. But what I want to celebrate today is the laugh-out-loud, smile-to-yourself, feeling-so-very-lucky aspect of reading. I feel so fortunate, so privileged, to have constant access to the best that literature has to offer: beautiful, sensitive, and creative use of language; compelling stories; characters that readers can relate to, care about, cheer on or boo, and learn something new from; profound insights into life and human nature; a connection with the past, present, and future of humankind; and that lovely sense of whole worlds opening up in front of one. What an abundance of joy!