Crack Open A Book: The Power Of Reading And Recommendations For New Books

Earlier this summer, a provocative article appeared in The Atlantic entitled, “The End of Reading Is Here.” Writer Rose Horowitch marshalled strong arguments and recent data to support her premise that reading is on the decline to such an extent that we are on the precipice of becoming a post-literate society, perhaps even heralding the fall of our liberal democracy. As Horowitch makes clear, “Gambling has become a more common leisure activity than reading a book.” She further cites data that reports that even demographic groups traditionally considered heavy readers- including older adults- have seen a collapse in reading. Horowitch states that just 20% of adults now account for 80% of all books read in the last year. So what happens when we stop reading? Horowitch responds that human brains master what they practice, so that the more we watch brief videos on social media, rather than read, the weaker our reading skills will become and the less we’ll be able to read and think in depth going forward.

That’s a harrowing prediction for society, though others do not believe we are heading for such a dismal future. In a recent op-ed in The New York Times, writer Peter Schmidt instead posited that reading has been, and will continue to be, a social connector, bringing people together for travel getaways or community celebrations, creating experiential opportunities for groups, rather than solitary pursuits in the privacy of one’s home. Even the rise of book clubs is evidence of the social possibilities that can arise with reading books. 

Moreover, for anyone interested in keeping their brains healthy as they age, reading is an important activity for bolstering cognitive performance, along with the social experiences it may afford. In particular, The Washington Post recently ran an article on the special benefits that come from reading fiction. It seems that reading fiction, which forces us to put ourselves in the position of others and to wrestle with differing perspectives, leads to better “social cognition” and a better understanding of other people. The level of required imagination while reading fiction is also good for the neural networks in your brain. Yet one more reason why we should not allow reading books to slip through our societal fingers.

It’s clear that contemporary writers and authors are doing all they can to forestall the slide in reading. In fact, one particular author, William Vollman, is about to release a 4-volume, 3,000-page fictional work called A Table for Fortune, a family drama that weaves in the history of American politics, war, and life in the post-Vietnam era. If that’s not staking a claim to the power of books and the importance of reading, then likely nothing else can. You can find out more about this upcoming monumental work here.

And if you’re looking for some of the most anticipated books for the fall of 2026, there is no shortage of recommendations (and hopefully, no shortage of readers). AARP released its list of 41 of the season’s top reads, many written by or about such older figures and celebrities as Michael Douglas, Dustin Hoffman, Gloria Steinem and Judi Dench. One particularly interesting upcoming title is “20 Over 60,” a collection of 20 short stories by authors over age 60. In addition, such popular fiction writers as Louis Penny, Marlon James and Emma Cline will all have new works published this fall. The Guardian’s list of the biggest books this autumn includes works by Colm Tóibín, Barbara Kingsolver and Michael Lewis. Finally, if your book club is on the hunt for some fall selections, you need to check out the list from Bookclubs.com, which includes such buzzy titles as The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon and Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult. And if you’re in search of your own book club social reading experience, join up with thousands of other readers and check out the online Bad Bitch Book Club. No matter what, you’ll become part of a community that strongly believes we are not at a societal cliff when it comes to reading books.