I’d Rather Be Reading audiobook cover - The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life

I’d Rather Be Reading

The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life

Anne Bogel

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I’d Rather Be Reading
Books as Personal History+
Emotional & Life Companions+
The Social Side of Reading+
Bookworm Habits & Challenges+
Extracting Hidden Value+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
Why does Anne Bogel ultimately recommend keeping a reading log?
  • A. To record long, detailed summaries and quotes for literary analysis.
  • B. To remember past reading experiences and give books an afterlife.
  • C. To keep track of how many pages are read each day to build a habit.
  • D. To practice writing extemporaneous reviews for book clubs.
Question 2 of 7
How does the author view experiencing a life event in a book before encountering it in real life?
  • A. It ruins the real-life experience by making it predictable.
  • B. It creates unrealistic expectations that often lead to disappointment.
  • C. It makes the real-life event feel even more magical and enriching.
  • D. It prevents readers from forming authentic emotional responses.
Question 3 of 7
According to the author, what represents a significant 'rite of passage' for a developing reader?
  • A. Finishing a dense classic novel like Jane Eyre or Rebecca.
  • B. Transitioning from guided reading to becoming responsible for choosing your own books.
  • C. Reading a book multiple times at different stages of life.
  • D. Staying up all night to finish a book under the covers with a flashlight.
Question 4 of 7
What behavior does the author describe as 'book bossiness'?
  • A. Organizing a book club and rigidly dictating the reading schedule.
  • B. Forcing yourself to finish a book even when you strongly dislike it.
  • C. Refusing to lend out books from your personal library to friends.
  • D. Judging others' reading choices and pushing books on them to 'fix' them.
Question 5 of 7
What strategy does the author suggest to overcome the common reader problem of 'too many books, too little time'?
  • A. Setting external deadlines using library fines or scheduled book club meetings.
  • B. Giving away duplicate books to friends to reduce the size of your unread pile.
  • C. Reading only the most highly recommended classic literature first.
  • D. Dedicating a specific shelf only to books written by friends and family.
Question 6 of 7
Why does the author argue that rereading a book is a highly valuable experience?
  • A. It helps you memorize important quotes and plot details for social conversations.
  • B. It allows you to finally skip the author's notes and acknowledgments.
  • C. You read it with a different mindset and glean new experiences because you have changed.
  • D. It guarantees you will finally understand complex classic literature that confused you.
Question 7 of 7
What is a mentioned downside of organizing your bookshelves by spine color?
  • A. It is too unimaginative and makes finding specific books difficult.
  • B. It might give the impression that you don't understand what books are actually for.
  • C. It requires you to remember the exact names of all the authors.
  • D. It confuses visitors who are looking for books based on Trivial Pursuit categories.

I’d Rather Be Reading — Full Chapter Overview

I’d Rather Be Reading Summary & Overview

I’d Rather Be Reading (2018) is a collection of stories and anecdotes that document the life of a bookworm and offer advice to fellow bibliophiles. From overflowing shelves to forbidden reading, these blinks offer a colorful take on what it means to be A Reader.

Who Should Listen to I’d Rather Be Reading?

  • Readers
  • Writers
  • Obsessive collectors and hobbyists

About the Author: Anne Bogel

Anne Bogel is the author of the internet blog Modern Mrs. Darcy and presents the podcast What Should I Read Next? She has also written several guides to reading and book lists, including her own Reading People (2017). She lives in Louisville, Kentucky with several thousand books, four children and her husband.

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