By Phoebe Farag Mikhail

I just finished Anne Bogel’s new book, I’d Rather Be Reading, and I just loved it. It’s a book you can savor for a few days, or read in a couple of hours. And even though Anne Bogel doesn’t know me personally, I feel like she does, because her short, often humorous essays about reading in this book are about me, too. Although Baker Books sent me a review copy of this book, I purchased my own and ordered several as gifts for book-loving friends.

The book itself is a beauty – small, hardcover, with gorgeous artwork – really a perfect gift. The inside is just as beautiful. Bogel is the blogger behind Modern Mrs. Darcy and the podcast What Should I Read Next? I envy Bogel’s rich reading life even as I enjoy her book recommendations, and yet her essays drew me in. She’s a kindred spirit.

My favorite essay in the book is “Bookworm Problems.” Here are some of mine:

You’re in the middle of a great book, but you need to go to work. Or to dinner. Or to bed. You’re in the middle of a great book, and you forget to eat dinner. You keep reading “just one more chapter” until 2:00 a.m., and you cannot keep your eyes open the next day.

You realize midsentence that you have no idea how to say a certain word out loud, because until now you’ve only said it to yourself, in your head, while reading.

Your house is a disaster because books cover every surface. Your house is a disaster because a clean house is a sign of a misspent life, and you spend yours reading.

You accept that it’s time to cull your personal library. You lovingly handle each book, determining if it brings you joy. It does. They all do.

You see? SHE KNOWS ME.

I’d Rather be Reading did not just mirror my reading life, but also gave me ideas for enriching it – perhaps the most practical being to keep a list of the books I’ve read. Like Anne, I wish I had done this since I knew how to write. I would have such a rich list of books to look back on and consider. Some readers even jot down favorite quotes or what they learned – and I wish I did that!

For now, however, I’ve started writing down the titles I finish in the notes section of my planner notebook. What I especially love about this exercise is that many books I finish are on my Kindle, and so the physical act of writing down those titles cements my experience of reading those books when the satisfaction of closing a book cover isn’t there.

Another essay I loved is “The Readers I Have Been.” In it she writes, “My head is so full of musings and insights and ideas from books that I’m not sure who I would be or how I would think if they were all taken away.” I loved this reflection on how reading has influenced her identity – and it also made me reflect on making sure that I’m reading things that I want to become part of my identity. Which definitely means less social media and more books.

In “Book bossy,” Bogel gave me some insight about what NOT to do if I want my children to love reading the way I do. Her advice was spot on, and I included some of it in a newly added section of my FREE Guide to Helping Children Love Reading (available to all my email subscribers). In a nutshell, Bogle’s advice is that an unsolicited book recommendation will very likely not be read. My free guide has more tips from me and other parents with bookworms that many readers have found helpful. Current subscribers should look out for the revised version in their emails.

First page and table of contents of the FREE Guide to Helping Children Love Reading, available to all email newsletter subscribers.

So, I won’t be book bossy and tell you to buy this book – but, if you do, you won’t be disappointed. You can be entered to win my giveaway copy of I’d Rather Be Reading by subscribing to my email newsletter and then commenting below about what book you would rather be reading right now. Giveaway closes on September 13, 2018 at 11:59 P.M. EST. US or Canada addresses only, please. ALL subscribers will get access to my newly revised Guide to Helping Children Love Reading.

Some of the links above are affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase via those links, I will receive a small commission for referring you at no extra cost to you. You are under no obligation to purchase the items through my links, but if you do, you will be helping support the cost of running this blog and providing you with the writing and reviews you enjoy. Your support is much appreciated!