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Slow Books
It's time to regain the pleasure of reading

Adults and the Slow Books movement

What better way to be part of the slow movement than to have a good read. The Slow Books movement is about getting back into the love of reading good books. Few people these days spend time each day reading for sheer enjoyment.

When we have time for leisure we tend to fill that time with physical activity or with passive TV viewing. We often have difficulty justifying sitting down and reading a good book, even to ourselves. The pace of our lives and the expectations we place on ourselves result in a life filled with ‘have to’ activities, and very few quiet enjoyment-only activities.

There are many benefits of reading regularly; reduction in stress levels, increased creativity, inspiration and motivation, entertainment and a good laugh, and broader perspectives and more open mind.

Reduction in stress levels

Reading a good book transports us to another reality. It gives us a break from the stresses of everyday life. There is something really relaxing about sitting down or curling up with a good book. Almost before we start reading we can feel ourselves start to relax and unwind. It is the anticipation of enjoyment, and perhaps there is some element of escape in there too. Reading for pleasure takes our mind of our problems, and doing this can help us to gain perspective. 

What better way to relax!

Increased creativity

Not only does reading stimulate the right side of our brain through expanding our imagination, it also gives us different ways of looking at things. Using our imagination regularly frees up our creativity in other areas of our life.

Inspiration and motivation

Some books inspire and motivate us to do more with our lives. They show us what is possible. So many times we limit ourselves by preconceived ideas about what we are, or are not capable of. Many people who have done extraordinary things with their lives have written their autobiography to help us to see that we, too, can do extraordinary things.

 Deep within we know we are capable of amazing things, and reading good books can awaken this knowledge. You know the feeling you get after reading a book that speaks to you, that touches your life, a feeling that you can do what the author has done too?

Entertainment and a good laugh

Entertainment is defined as any activity that is diverting and that holds the attention. Fiction is capable of doing just that – it can make us laugh, or cry, it can terrify us and can make us feel just about any emotion we are capable of.

Before the advent of television and movies, book reading was one of the most popular forms of entertainment. It is a form of entertainment that we can take with us on the train or bus, on holidays, and we can take it to bed with us. We can stop and start whenever we like.

Broader perspectives and more open mind

When we read about people in different cultures or from different walks of life we get a glimpse of what it would be like to be someone else. We can experience what it feels like to be another person – perhaps with a personality that would normally abrade us.

By experiencing these characters through our imagination, we become more tolerant and are more open to new people and ideas. Our whole perspective on life can change for the better. 

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