Happy Friday bibliophiles! Kibby started this tag at Something of the Book. It’s a fun way to celebrate the books you love on one of the best days of the week!

I’m still feeling super disconnected from the blogosphere, but I’m trying to get back into the swing of things!! This week’s challenge for Friday Favorites is to talk about the best aspects of being a reader. I have quite a few aspects about the reader life I love, but I will narrow it down to 5!

1. Every Reader’s Experience is Unique

This can obviously be a struggle for some readers when your best friend just doesn’t seem to get a book you love, but it also brings people together! When you bond with someone over a book it is so special. Even though every reader has a different way of looking at a story, it’s amazing to find people who love a carefully crafted combination of words on a page as much as you do.

2. Books are Beautiful to Look at!

Of all the things in the world to hoard I think books are one of the most beautiful options. From stained/painted pages, embossed cases, and beautiful dust jackets I can’t pick a favorite single aspect of books. Just seeing them lined up on my bookcase every day brings me joy.

3. Reading Breeds Compassion

This is a bit of a heady idea, but I think it’s one of the most important things about being a serial reader. When you engage with the written work of another person, you are essentially experiencing what it’s like to live in their brain. Some author’s brain-words are a better match for me than others, as is the case for all readers. Reading lots of different kinds of stories helps a reader better understand the world. This is why reading diversely is so important! Even if you can’t travel the world, you can read about the world through the eyes of people around the world. You can broaden your horizons from the comfort of your couch through reading. It’s one of the most magical things a person can do.

4. Reading Encourages Creativity

Though this may not apply to all readers, for me reading has massively influenced my drive to create. I’ve been inspired to start a free bookmark project, an Etsy shop, a blog, and even to reach out to publishers and extend my reach in the book community. I would never have done any of these things if it weren’t for the passion and imagination I gained from reading.

5. Experiencing Stories that are too Big for TV/Movies

I phoned a friend for this last item, but I definitely agree with it! A lot of the stories I really love I don’t think would transfer perfectly to movies or TV, and that’s ok! Getting to be inside a character’s head provides such a unique storytelling perspective, and it’s hard to replicate that in a screen play. Even when an adaptation is done well, it often still feels very different from the source material. Participating in the reading community means I get to keep experiencing stories like this!

Let me know your favorite thing about being a reader in the comments! Have an amazing weekend!!