7 Reasons You Should Always Carry a Book with You

From a very young age, I have refused to go anywhere without a book. My mum still sighs whenever I walk out the door with a super heavy bag because I have to carry at least one book with me at all times.

I’m a big fan of small cross body bags and the like but unfortunately since they’re far too small to fit a proper book in them, I never use them.

A dream of mine has been to own that classic Chanel bag but the question at the forefront of my mind has always been – will I be able to fit a book in it? A bookworm’s got to think about these things 😂

So here are 7 reasons you should always carry a book with you! 

You might actually read it

This is for all the people that tell me they don’t have time to read. You might not be able to find an hour every day to read, this just isn’t possible for people with busy lives and other priorities.

But there’ll be a moment when you’re sitting on the bus, you’re waiting for a friend, you’re picking your kids up from school, you’re waiting to see the dentist – all of these are prime opportunities to sneak a few pages of reading in. Reduce your screen time, pick up a book instead!

Here are some more tips to help you read more.

Your book will never run out of battery

How many times have you been sat on a long bus ride home when your phone suddenly runs out of battery? Typical.

Now what are you supposed to do for 45 minutes?

Well, if you have a book on you, you’ve got a great way to fill the time. You can easily dip into another world and you’ll soon forget your miserable bus journey.

What’s more, the time will pass a lot quicker than it would if you spent the time scrolling through your Instagram feed for the eleventh time that day.

People are always late

I absolutely hate wasting time and there is nothing more frustrating than people turning up late without a decent excuse.

Don’t get me wrong – I do this sometimes too, we’re all human after all.

However, I always aim to arrive a little early, which isn’t a problem so long as I have a good book with me. Time spent reading is never time wasted after all.

People will think you’re intelligent

When I see someone reading on the tube, they go up by about 200% in my estimations. It doesn’t matter what they’re reading, I am just happy that more people are reading. I immediately think that they must be a person I’d be capable of holding a conversation with about something other than British weather.

Anyone carrying a book also appears to me as someone with a curious mind who is open to learning more about the world and thus I assume they have some level of intelligence. In every book there is an opportunity to learn more about language, culture, concepts, people, feelings and more.

You’ll actually become more intelligent

Further to my point above, you will actually become more intelligent. Obviously, if you’re reading and absorbing non-fiction or textbooks, you’ll learn new things.

However, fiction can be very educational too. You might learn more about different cultures, relationships, the human condition and more. Even when I’m reading passages from children’s books as part of my tutoring, I pick up new, obscure vocabulary.

In fact, people who read more are more intelligent across the board. Yes, really. It doesn’t matter what you read, so long as you read.

READ MORE: 8 Benefits of Reading Books

There are many studies that show that those who read are naturally more intelligent in all areas, even those not related to whatever topic you’ve been reading about.

If that isn’t an amazing reason to read more and always carry a book with you, I don’t know what is.

I remember coming across this fact back in 2013 when I was about to sit my A Levels and using this as an excuse to my mum when I was found reading general fiction and not doing my homework.

My results turned out ok so I’m going to take that as proof that this is true because I also read the most books I’ve ever read in one year back then. You can read a little more about the connection between reading and intelligence here.

It’s a great way to avoid people

A great way to avoid people is simply to stick your head in a book. If you’re carrying a book, you can get lost in another universe and hide from the public at large at the same time – win, win.

Plus, if the book is good enough, it should make you forget all about your surroundings and you can imagine yourself someplace else for a brief moment.

Another bonus: 

Unfortunately with the world being the way it is, I have been encouraged to always read and have earphones in (even though they’re not playing any music), in order to avoid unwanted approaches on public transport.

It gives you a perfectly legitimate reason to ignore people and there’s no need to be awkward. Just keep your eyes trained down on your book and pretend you can’t hear anything.

It’s also a great conversation starter

Converse to the point above, carrying a book with you can also be a great conversation starter for times when you do feel like socialising. If I’m meeting up with someone and they’ve got a book in their hand, I’ll always ask them what they’re reading and whether it’s worth picking up.

I would never do this myself, but I have often been asked about the books I am reading on the tube by whomever is sitting opposite me and I’m quite happy to share my opinions with other curious readers.

Plus, haven’t you always dreamed of being approached by a really hot guy with similar reading tastes and then you go on a date and fall in love and get married and have babies and –sorry. Ignore my word vomit.

But in all seriousness it can be a great way to get talking to someone and maybe even make a friend!

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So there you have it – 7 reasons you should always carry a book with you! Now if you’re wondering how to carry books without damaging them then I highly recommend that you invest in a book sleeve.

This is a sort of padded pouch that you can easily slip your books into before putting them in your bag and it prevents bent corners and damp pages.

The best place to buy a book sleeve is Etsy as there’s so much variety and you’re also supporting independent sellers! Each sleeve will cost around £10-20 and you can start browsing Etsy now here.

If you liked this post, check out these:
How to Cut Down Your TBR Pile Once and For All
How to Declutter Your Bookshelves
The Accessories Every Avid Reader Needs
Easy Ways to Reduce Screen Time
5 Ideas to Help You Expand Your Reading Collection
How To Create a Cosy Reading Corner
How to Get Out of a Reading Slump

Laura

Founder & Editor of What’s Hot?

Laura is an award-winning travel and book blogger based in the UK. She studied French literature at Oxford University and is now an IP lawyer at a top law firm in London. She was named UK Book Blogger of the Year in 2019 and loves to combine her passion for books and travel with literary travel.