This is the Thirty-nineth article in a permanent column for Stroud Arts that appears in the Stroud American. The mission of these articles is to inform, educate and inspire you, the reader, to Make Art Happen in your life and the life of our community.
Other than being an awkward conversation starter, the above title to this article is a legitimate question.
For myself, an avid daily book reader, I spend between thirty minutes to an hour every evening with a novel or a script. I try to avoid reading anything of a technical nature as the goal of my nightly activity is to relax and enjoy the story. Reading fiction is my favorite way to relax and destress from the day’s activities.
This leads to the question “Is reading a novel merely a matter of pleasure, or are there other benefits to be gained by the participant?” The scientific answer is “Yes!”
The National Institute on Aging recommends reading books and solving math problems, as studies show that seniors who read every day maintain and improve their cognitive functions and were less likely to develop the plaques, lesions and tauprotein tangles found in the brains of people with dementia.
Doctors at the Mayo Clinic suggest reading as part of a regular sleep routine. For the best results, you should choose a print book rather than reading on a screen as the light emitted by your device could keep you awake. You should read somewhere other than your bedroom if you have trouble falling asleep.
Research published in the Journal of Social Science and Medicine found that reading chapter books provides two benefits that can’t be achieved through reading articles or news briefs. First, reading chapter books engages the mind in a slow, immersive process, which requires more cognitive involvement to link characters and events from one section of the book to other characters and events as well as the world being created by the author. Second, reading encourages the growth and development of emotional intelligence of the reader and enhances cognitive development. Acquiring this growth allows the reader to empathize with people in the real world and solving real world problems as well.
What types of books should you read? The quick answer is; anything you can get your hands on!
A more authentic answer should be; what do you want to experience? For myself, I choose reading material in the Action/ Adventure/Sci Fi/Horror/ Fantasy/Mystery Genres. I’m not a big Romance Genre fan, unless the romance is a part of one of the previous lists.
If you don’t happen to have any books lying around, please consult your local library. If they do not have the book you are looking for, they might be able to acquire it for you through the Inter library loan Program.
Now that the State is opening back up, you can shop at the large book stores in Tulsa or OKC Metro. Don’t forget the smaller Mom and Pop bookstores, especially if you are looking for a rare or out of print book. These smaller stores could also use your business as they are often overshadowed by the larger corporate stores.
The final benefit of reading a novel is; ‘Growth of Personal Creativity’. When you read a novel, you create the images and story in your own private Theatre of the Mind. Your amazing mind can generate images that are comparable with and can exceed any Hollywood Blockbuster! Why not take some time and enter your own personal Movie theater and make your own mental movie!
In a quiet place, you can Make Art Happen.