Reading is a gateway drug

I love the smell of libraries and old bookstores. That unique scent of decomposing paper, ink and old bindings is familiar and comforting. It is sweet, earthy, woody with a hint of vanilla. Sounds like I am describing a glass of wine. The hushed tones add to its subtle sexiness. I wrote this article sitting in such a bookshop/cafe in Tel Aviv. How ironic, writing about not reading in a bookshop. 

The Little Prince Bookshop King George St. 19, Tel Aviv

Reflecting on the past year, I realized that I had not read a single book that stands out. Nothing I read was life-changing (my favorite;) or memorable. 

Many took advantage of Covid isolation to read.  While businesses suffered, book publishers thrived. Print book sales went up 10% since 2020. Women account for 80% of fiction book sales in the US, UK, and Canada. Interestingly, millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) read more than any other age group. Online sales of books and audiobooks have grown dramatically. Adult graphic novel sales are up 107% from last year. Poetry gained popularity primarily due to social media; poets.org saw an increase of one million visitors last year. 

People read for different reasons like entertainment, education, escape,  and stress reduction. A study showed that people who read books versus newspapers live longer lives. Besides improving critical thinking and vocabulary, reading books improves our emotional intelligence as well.

My grandson, Kai, working his magic trying to distract a reader at the library 😍,QLD, Australia

As a kid I was a reader. Harriet the Spy was my favorite. Then it was replaced by Rebecca. Therapy, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (obsessed with the trilogy) and any book with Adam Dalgliesh are all-time greats. 

Now, I cannot find a book that holds my interest. My reading is limited to the New York Times Morning Briefing, professional articles and select newsletters. It’s not that I don’t try. See how many books I have sampled and not continued….

My Kindle Library page

I suspect most of my fan base are avid readers. All of my friends and family read. Everyone I know reads! People struggle to scale down lists of their favorite books on Instagram. Meanwhile, my underused Kindle is collecting dust, left behind in the States. Books aren’t the problem, there is stellar content out there. It is me. My ability to tune out and read a book has not been accessible. I am distracted. It feels like work. 

I long to get lost in a book, to dip into another world. I like my books like I like my movies: atmospheric, edgy, and smart. What I’m searching for is the literature equivalent of film noir. 

New Year’s resolutions are meant to be broken so I won’t call it a resolution. It is my intention to read more. Suggestions from L+M readers are welcome and appreciated. 

Summer Solstice. Sydney, Australia (upper). Winter Solstice at Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England (lower)

This is the last Love and Medicine newsletter of 2022. Today is the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the Summer Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. The shortest day and the longest day. We are all living on this floating rock together - North or South, wherever you are, embrace wonder ☯️.

See you next year,

Dr. Annie K.