The Search for the 'Right' Books

Why do people read books? Is it for entertainment? Is it for research or for enlightenment or for expanding our imagination? Or is there something more we're looking for? 

The question is one that could be answered any number of ways, and even could bring up a discussion about the history of reading, which I don't intend to get into here. 

But reading is something I love to do, and in this day and age, I find that books are rarely out of the spotlight. Whether it's the top best seller, book-club discussions or even the ever-raging battle between traditional books and e-books, there's plenty being discussed these days in the world of writing, publishing and books.  

I'm an avid reader, but my own reading material is not aligned at all with current top ten lists . . . I've tended to stay away from those and read what interests me most, which is usually fiction, poetry, some non-fiction, etc. Lots of classics, horror novels, general fiction, mystery, fantasy, all over the genres. 

But with all that's going on in the publishing world these days, it's almost so that one might be wondering what exactly they should be reading. 

In that light, I'm inclined to refer to a scene in the film Good Will Hunting that has always stuck with me.

In the scene, Matt Damon's character Will meets Sean, played by Robin Williams, for the first time, and among the first discussion they have, Will scans the shelves of his new mentor's office, which are lined with books on history, philosophy and other academic topics.

Will criticizes Sean and others in his profession for reading the "wrong" type of books. Sean then asks, "What are the right books, Will?" Will's reply: "Whatever blows your hair back." 

But does it go beyond that? 

Brenna Clarke Gray has written about this very issue on HuffPost Books (probably my favorite page on The Huffington Post). In her most recent post, Gray makes some interesting points about what readers owe authors. 

As a reader, I will accept responsibility to do one thing: 

1. I won't ever steal books, not digital or otherwise. Not ever. 

But I won't (a) not use the library, (b) not buy used books, (c) not borrow books from friends. If I choose to do any of these things, I don't (a) owe a tweet, (b) owe a blog review, (c) owe a word of mouth review. I am not betraying bookish culture if I (a) buy from Amazon or Chapters or Barnes and Noble, (b) wait to buy the paperback, (c) don't buy at all. None of these things are unethical or amoral or indiicative of my deep failings as a reader or blogger or member of the bookish community.  

Gray raises a solid point, and I agree with her in regards to how to actually get books - whether it's from the library, indie bookstore, used book store, library, book sale, whatever.

But to feel obligated to read or obtain books a certain way can limit our desire to search for what are in our minds the "right" books. The whole point, I think, is to find something that raises your eyebrows . . . to find something new, to expand our horizons, our ways of thinking, to put ourselves in the shoes of others, whether they are fictional or historical characters. 

What do you look for in the books you read? Do you agree with Gray's assessment that beyond inspiration, readers don't owe authors much more? Or do you think in this day and age readers have more obligation to discuss the books they read on social media and be more conscious of where they get their books? 

Feel free to weigh in below, I'd love to hear your thoughts.