The Art of Finding the Right Book at the Right Time
There was once a reader who had plenty of time — not just some time, but good, meaty, useful time. Morning time. Fun time. Lunch time. Bored time. Dinner time. Play time. Sleeping time. Endless opportunities where any book can be read no matter what time of day. That reader can pick any book at all, whatever genre, whichever author, no matter how very long a book can stretch.
To be that reader, we wonder. Would you pick the same book? All the time in the world, would you read what you’re reading now?
One is supposed to find The Phantom Tollbooth in childhood. Some time in fifth grade or some time close to that age. Because it was inspired by a 10-year-old. Therefore, as the notion goes, it would be for a 10-year-old. A children’s literary classic published in 1961 by a 32-year-old writer. So maybe there’s something in this novel for thirty-somethings, too. 😏
That’s at least what I would tell others when they ask me what I chose for my first book of the year. I find what’s more fascinating than a book review or a book recommendation is learning how a reader finds a book. Of the millions of things that are out there to read, how did you choose what you’re reading now?
On the first day of the new year, I was at a house party at a seaside escape off the bluffs of Rancho Palos Verdes. This was no time for reading. Time here was spent with good food and even better conversations with family and friends. Later in the evening, as I was exploring the home, I stumbled upon a library and invited my sister to look at the books. Immediately, she gravitated towards The Phantom Tollbooth. “This is the book I was telling you about the other day,” she said at 24 years old, “the one about time, that I read when I was in fifth grade.” She got me with time. I have a shelf of books all about time in my house.
See, every reader deserves to enjoy what they’re reading. Nose in the pages (or nose at the phone for those reading on Libby), every once in a while, every reader should find themselves smiling or laughing or pausing — lingering — wondering, head somewhere else, thinking, aha! This is the first book I finished reading this year, as a 33-year-old reader. One doesn’t need to be a child to read what children read. May we find aha! faster.
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Inspired by The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (read the sample here)
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The Well-being of Book Reading believes in haikus and the art of the Very Short Story. Brevity is life. This blog is focused on making a reader out of anyone and the joys of book reading. For conversations about books, reading, and the impact this habit has in our well-being, reach out to wellbeingofbookreading@gmail.com.
