I’ve gone back and forth on what to write here more times than I care to think about. I have written lengthy manifestos about reading to counteract ignorance or elevate the political consciousness of the average American. Don’t even get me started on the pitfalls of public education (especially in red states like mine) and the backlash against what it means to learn and be learn-ed.

All of these things are important, and when I prioritize each issue as such, the “why” becomes impossible to encapsulate in a few sharply written paragraphs. As a faculty member at a local public university, it is natural to lean into my concern for future generations. I should be. After all, it’s my job. The absence of long-form reading at the secondary level is having devastating effects on our students’ ability to read, interpret ideas, and think critically.

On top of this, I watch as attention spans and the robust neural pathways required for meaningful thought are destroyed by the addiction to smartphones. Students are increasingly obsessed with social media apps that disseminate false information and create distorted realities that negatively affect their sense of self-worth. We can’t completely attribute this mental health crisis to a lack of reading in school. But it is clear that when my students discuss the things they hear and see in their online environment, the lack of reading diminishes their ability to hold space for truth as they evaluate the validity of new knowledge. They simply lack the historical context to keep things in perspective.

Unfortunately, this is not limited to younger generations. People, from Boomers to Gen X, to Millennials on the cusp (like me), have ceded their critical thinking abilities to their smartphones. Legitimacy is bolstered by likes and views. Influencers wield an increasing amount of power, while expertise is maligned and discredited. People are more inclined to allow these platforms to curate their own reality, complete with an alternate set of facts, and more concerningly, a malleable perception of the truth.

While all of this is concerning on many levels, my deepest fears center on the damage being done to our sense of curiosity, the desire for continued learning, and personal growth. Regardless of the subject matter, a book can be a gateway to developing a more profound understanding of the world around us. But more importantly, books carve out a space to quietly consider different viewpoints, political perspectives, and, more importantly, our perception of our place in the world.

The More Reading Blog serves as a conduit for sharing the books I love with others – books that have changed my perspective, made me more empathetic, enlightened me, and were purely enjoyable to read. So, whether you read zero books a year or twenty books a month, you’re welcome here. The number of books in the “finished” pile doesn’t matter because you could always read more.