Book Review: "Bookish" by Lucy Mangan

Back about four years' ago I read Lucy Mangan's Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading and I was astounded at how much I enjoyed it. But then again, I would enjoy a book about reading, wouldn't I?

Of course, no surprises there!

It ended up featuring as one of the best books I had read throughout the entire year and I did end up thinking that perhaps I would like to read it again. To my great luck, Lucy Mangan had another book called Bookish in which she talks about everything from reading trends through her teens all the way to her father, who was quite bookish himself. There's something deeply comforting about reading books to do with other people reading books, I think that is also why I write book reviews: perhaps I hope to bring comfort to people like you, who love books too.

The book, as I have previously stated, details all things bookish as the writer discusses what it means to identify with being 'bookish'. I have to say I relate to many things mentioned in this bookish definition. One of the things mentioned is that the writer mastered to art of reading whilst brushing one's teeth when they were a teenager and I very much relate to that because so did I. I mean, who hasn't never wanted to put the damn thing down? We can all relate to some degree. Another one would be tripping over and injuring yourself whilst reading and not really looking where you're going. This is something again, the author admits to doing and got me thinking about the various times I myself have nearly walked into walls and doors because the book in my hand was literally the most addictive drug on the planet. It's a strong start by Lucy Mangan.

When discussing reading she admits that she hates the snobbery that surrounds it. I also do not like book snobbery (but I draw the line at AI, anyone who uses AI to write can be hurled into the sun feet first for all I care). Book snobbery is literally defined as those people who think that women reading cheap romance novels isn't really reading when in fact, if you have a book then you're reading by definition and the last time I checked, they're books too. Usually, the hatred for popular fiction by book snobs is just misogyny in a Scooby-Doo mask. Nobody used to say anything about popular literature when it was catered to boys instead of girls. Girls tend to read more purely because they have more patience during those years - it doesn't mean boys don't read at all. Believe it or not, reading less is yes...still reading. But that discussion is for another time.

She takes us through these popular books, dystopias too - making the argument that fictional worlds are quite a lot better than the real one we actually live in. But there is something else that fiction teaches us, it teaches us how to have empathy for others. It teaches us about some dire situations in which we find characters like ourselves or characters we love and it makes us connect with them. This is why people tend to think that those who read have higher empathy and don't like upsetting people and I have to say I'm guilty of it. I don't like being the barer of bad news, I also like to think of things from the other person's point of view. I'm not into insulting people or making fun of someone for anything because it sounds like a rough thing to do. Fiction probably had a big hand in teaching me that because god knows, there are more than enough people who simply don't care whether what they say to others hurts their feelings and that terrifies me.

Of course, there are tons of books mentioned within and I've formed a little reading list of some of the stuff I'd like to read but haven't read. Unfortunately, it is only a little one though because I have read an awful lot of the stuff in that book. I enjoyed it thoroughly and if you're looking to read a book about reading books then the Lucy Mangan texts are the way to go.