It has been more than two decades since I started reviewing books for Bookreporter, and it has been a wonderful experience. I soon realized that the position meant far more than having the opportunity to get an early look at books that haven’t been released yet. The real joy of writing about what you read is exchanging information with other readers. As a result, I have met countless authors, fellow reviewers and book lovers. All have contributed to enhancing my reading life by exposing me to books that I otherwise might never have read or even considered checking out. For whatever reason we read, books substantially impact our lives in a positive way.

Shannon Reed teaches creative writing at the University of Pittsburgh and is a contributor to the New Yorker and other publications, including The Paris Review, Slate and the Washington Post. Read’s first book, WHY DID I GET A B?: And Other Mysteries We’re Discussing in the Faculty Lounge, was a semifinalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor.

"Shannon Reed readily would acknowledge that WHY WE READ is no deep scholarly analysis of literature. It is simply good clean fun that exposes readers to the joy of discovering something new."

Humor abounds in WHY WE READ. Even the chapter titles will make you smile. “Signs You May Be a Female Character in a Work of Historical Fiction,” “The Five People You Meet When You Work in a Bookstore” and “Because Someone is Paying You to Teach a Class about Vampires” are just a few of the terrific essays you will find in this tribute to books, reading and how our reading experiences shape our lives.

Reed concludes the book with an eight-page list of every title she has mentioned here. I was sorely tempted to jump right into this section, but I desperately need to winnow down my personal collection of unread books before I seek out additions from other sources. That is what makes WHY WE READ such a delight. Learning about a book you never knew existed and realizing that you want to read it is one of the best discoveries a reader can make.

Reed even offers some suggestions for reading a recipe. My total experience with recipes comes from emailing a copy to my wife, accompanied by “This sounds good.” The suggestions in “Questions I Use to Evaluate a New Recipe” are perfect for me to consider the next time I see a recipe that sounds like it would make a good meal. I guess it’s just one more example of the interesting ways that reading can transform us for the better.

Shannon Reed readily would acknowledge that WHY WE READ is no deep scholarly analysis of literature. It is simply good clean fun that exposes readers to the joy of discovering something new. It might be a book that she deems a favorite or one that she truly didn’t enjoy. I won’t drop any titles into this review lest the reader be unduly influenced. The important thing to understand is that she doesn’t care what you read so long as you do.

Those of us who always have a collection of unread books within arm’s reach probably also have friends who tell us they do not have time to read. Be sure to buy them a copy of WHY WE READ.