Reading is Fundamental

It’s National Read Across America Day! Also known as Dr. Seuss’s birthday. A friend and neighbor handed down her sons’ Seuss books to me when I was just a toddler and I adored those stories, and especially because my mother read them to me and used different voices for different characters. So, along with comic books, I suppose Dr. Seuss played a role in my learning to read. Not only did I take to reading early, but I’ve continued to read like a maniac ever since. Books, articles, essays, blog posts, you name it. I have several books going at one time—ADHD at work, folks!—and always need to travel with at least a few, just in case I find a brief moment here and there to read.

I subscribe to the adage that, in order to be a good writer you need to read—and read, and read, and read, as far and as widely as you can. But that’s only part of why I read; the main reason is because it brings me joy. I go through stretches sometimes where my stress levels make it hard to concentrate on reading, but I always bounce back and begin plowing through the stacks of unread books again. And, oh my lord, those stacks are intimidating! I persevere, though.

In honor of National Read Across America Day, here are some photos of readers doing their thing, and proving that reading is more than just fundamental, it’s also incredibly sexy.

Especially when you do it in lingerie.…

…or barely any items of clothing at all.