The Importance of Literature & Benefits of Reading Books

The benefits of reading are widespread and the importance of literature should never be underrated. From improving mental health to fostering creativity to improving general intelligence, it’s easy to see why literature is important.

As a long-time book lover, I firmly believe in the importance of reading books and that reading every day is one of the best things that you can do for yourself.

Reading is not only a hobby but a method of relaxation and education.

Books of all genres, from pacy thrillers to young adult fantasy novels to hard-hitting memoirs, are all equally important.

It doesn’t matter what you read, reading itself is the important part.

Below are 8 reasons why literature is important and why reading should form part of your daily routine (even if it’s just for 6 minutes!).

Reading is a form of escapism 

First and foremost, literature is a brilliant means of escapism. Through books one can dive into another character’s world, sometimes one akin to our own, sometimes one that is completely made up.

And in doing so, you can completely detach from your own reality for as long as you’re reading.

The beauty of fiction is that it can take you can literally anywhere and your imagination is the only limit.

I like to think of books as films that play out in your head, which are you in complete control of. This idea has been articulated much more eloquently by Paulo Coelho, who said:

“The book is a film that takes place in the mind of the reader. That’s why we go to movies and say, “Oh, the book is better.”

Paulo Coelho

You could be walking along the bank of the Seine via a book set in Paris or flying into battle on the back of a dragon.

I cannot stress enough the benefits of reading fiction.

Books can foster creativity 

One of the greatest joys of reading is that it’s up to you to interpret the words in front of you.

Whilst the author of the work may have had a particular meaning or feeling in mind when they wrote those words, you, the reader, are in complete control of how those words are interpreted.

In the words of American writer Edmund Wilson:

“No two persons ever read the same book.” 

― Edmund Wilson

Reading forces you to confront the ideas of others, some of which are weird and wonderful ideas that you may never have considered before.

In turn, this could help your mind begin exploring new possibilities and may trigger a new bout of creativity.

Most writers draw their inspiration from two places: the world around them and the works of others.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being inspired by the works of others as, to be honest, nothing is original in this world.

Reading the amazing stories of others can be the basis of creating your own wonderful stories.

As long as it’s not plagiarised and credit is given where credit is due, of course.

Reading reduces stress in mind and body  

Reading is a proven method of reducing stress and relaxing and the positive effects upon both the mind and body have been demonstrated by a number of studies.

Yep, not only can reading have a positive effect on your mental health, but it can also help decrease blood pressure and lower the heart rate.

Reading a great book can absorb your full attention, allowing you to forget the stresses of everyday life.

It gives you time to sit alone with your thoughts and the words in front of you with no distractions (I hope!).

READ MORE: 9 Easy Ways to Reduce Screen Time

If you’re short on time and think you don’t have time for a spot of reading every day then the following fact might interest you.

A study by the University of Sussex showed that just 6 minutes of reading is enough to reduce stress levels.

Just 6 minutes!

The benefits of reading everyday are clear.

What’s more, the same study found that reading is a faster method of relaxation than any other, such as listening to music or going for a walk.

Stories can help you feel less alone 

One of the many advantages of reading books is that, despite being a solitary activity, it can actually make you feel less alone.

Through books, we can discover characters who have been through similar life experiences to our own or characters we’d love to call our friends in real life.

Whilst you might struggle to connect with people in real life, you might find that the characters in a story are exactly the kind of people you’ve been looking to spend time with.

Indeed, a report from Demos and The Reading Agency has found that reading or listening to an audiobook can significantly reduce feelings of loneliness and help alleviate social isolation.

Beyond the pages of your book, there are also wonderful book communities you can discover whether it be a book club or the wonderful world of #bookstagram.

Bookstagram is an Instagram community of bookworms who love to share their recommendations for what to read, their favourite bookshops and more.

Books can bring together and I personally have made a great number of friends over the years from a shared love a reading.

READ MORE: 20 Beautiful Book Instagram Accounts to Follow

We can learn about other cultures & countries we can’t travel to

With travel restrictions and closed borders, the past year has only highlighted the importance of world literature as books can be a mechanism of travel.

Indeed, the whole ethos of my blog is to share travel posts for those who wish to pack their bags and explore other places for themselves and book posts for those who wish to travel through the pages of a book instead.

Through books, especially translated books, we can learn about other cultures and places that we may never get the chance to visit for ourselves.

We can read about what it’s like to grow up in a different continent, under a different ruler or regime, with different laws and societal norms.

Of course, one could read about these things from a history textbook, the news or the internet but fiction and memoirs can often be much more impactful as the reader can really get inside the heads of the characters they’re reading about.

Important literature about other cultures:

Through Yeonmi Park’s memoir In Order to Live, you can learn about a young girl’s escape from North Korea and her arduous journey to South Korea via China, where it took years for her to be reunited with her family.

Through The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, you can learn about different Asian American immigrant experiences and the familial and cultural tensions often felt by families who up and move from East to West.

Through Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, you can learn about military-ruled Nigeria, a young Nigerian woman’s journey to New York and her eventual return to newly-democratic Nigeria 15 years later.

Again, the journey to and from the West reveals much about different cultures and can help you see places you are familiar with through fresh eyes and a different perspective.

I’ll round off this point with one of my absolute favourite quotes about reading:

“Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.” 

― Mason Cooley

Read more:
Best Japanese Books to Read
Best Korean Books to Read
Best Classic French Novels to Read
Best Italian Novels to Read
Books Set in Paris

You can learn empathy and understanding 

Linked to the above point, we can learn to feel empathy and develop an understanding of our fellow human beings by reading about the experiences of others who are different from us.

Reading about characters with different personalities, different socio-economic backgrounds, different temperaments, different races and different conditions can help give you a glimpse into the life of a person you may never encounter in reality.

You may never have experienced racism yourself but begin to understand the kind of trauma that BIPOC regularly face as a result of reading fiction and non-fiction about race.

Books like Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race or The Hate U Give are brilliant examples in this category.

In reading these kinds of books, you may begin to look at prejudices or stereotypes that you yourself may have been perpetuating and reconsider them in light of what you’ve read.

You may never have come across anyone disabled before but a book like Me Before You could help you understand some of the daily struggles a paraplegic may face.

One thing to bear in mind though is that just as each and every person’s individual experience is different, so is each and every story written.

Reading one book about a person with Asperger’s doesn’t mean you understand all the nuances that living with this condition entails.

That’s why it’s important to read lots and read widely so you can understand the varied experiences of others and begin to empathise with those who are different from you.

You can learn about history without reading a textbook

One of the benefits of reading literature is that it can be an amazing tool for teaching us about history. Granted, fiction books will usually present a certain viewpoint of that history, and so shouldn’t be taken as showing the full story.

However, reading different accounts of major historical through fiction can open your eyes to accounts and experiences that you’d never have considered before.

This is one reason why I strongly believe in the importance of literature in society for understanding and reflecting on the past.

Through The Book Thief you could learn about the plight of the Jews during World War II.

Through Wolf Hall, you could learn about Thomas Cromwell’s rise to power during Henry VIII’s reign.

Through Sapiens, you could read about the history of humanity and where it’s headed.

Reading can help improve general intelligence 

One of the amazing effects of literature is that readers tend to become more intelligent generally. Of course, if you’re devouring non-fiction books and textbooks, you’d expect to learn new things and become smarter.

However, studies show that reading anything can make you smarter. As discussed above, fiction can be very educational – you can learn about other cultures, places, people and histories.

Children are often encouraged to read because it can help expand their vocabularies. This doesn’t stop when you become an adult, there are over 171,146 words in the English language so there are always more to be discovered!

You can see why then that people who read more may be more intelligent across the board. It doesn’t matter what you read, as long as you read.

There are many studies that show that those who read are naturally more intelligent in all areas, even in areas that are completely unrelated to the topics they have been reading about.

If that isn’t proof that literature is important and we should all read more, I don’t know what is.

I first came across this fact way back in 2013 when I was about to sit my A-Levels. I used this as an excuse to my mum when I was found reading general fiction and revising from a textbook or doing my homework.

Since my results turned out ok, I’m going to take that as proof that these studies are true because I also read more than ever in that year.

You can read a little more about the connection between reading and intelligence here.

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Why is literature important to you? I’d love to know your thoughts on the benefits of reading or what impact books have had on your life in the comments below!

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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.