“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading!”, exclaimed the poet Rilke.

In his “Letters to a young poet”, Rilke advised that if you want to lead a creative life, one of the best things you can do is to develop a love of reading.

In his words:

“A world will come over you, the happiness, the abundance, the incomprehensible immensity of a world. Live a while in these books, learn from them what seems to you worth learning, but above all love them. This love will be repaid you a thousand and a thousand times, and however your life may turn, — it will, I am certain of it, run through the fabric of your growth as one of the most important threads among all the threads of your experiences, disappointments and joys.”

“Live a while in these books”. I find that such an apt description of what it means to read. It’s an important reminder that reading can be a hugely enriching way of learning about the world and yourself. Above all, it’s a way of cultivating a passion for learning that can also bring immense pleasure and growth. It’s a lifelong habit, and one that you can return to whenever you want. In this sense, Rilke encourages us to read widely and with enthusiasm, “living” with, and in our books.

Julian

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