Reading begins from childhood – and pivots from the pleasure we derive when we are exhilarated by a story, plot, and character. Our earliest memory of reading are storybooks – fabricated to take us through a labyrinth of emotions: alerting us to dangers; helping us to solve complex issues; assisting us in dealing with morality; and lulling us into a peaceful night’s sleep.

As we grow into textbooks, we are receptive to content, familiar with diction and sentence structure – all stemming from our childhood reading experiences. As information is stored over time, (books, scrolls, and electronic retrieval systems) the development achieved from the practice of reading and writing thus becomes handy in ensuring that wisdom is passed on, generationally. It can therefore be deduced that a society devoid of reading is one stagnant of progress, as lost knowledge of the past would remain undiscovered consequently.

In contrast to other forms of media, reading novels engages the mind in a manner theatrical to the imagination. Words on a page shape a world and a character’s outward appearance, each unique to the vision created by our mental pathways. The creativity enhancing power of reading is equal to none, as it requires no intervention from an outside source.

The practice of reading can greatly reduce our stress levels, as we delve into relatable characters and familiar circumstances. Health practitioners understand the benefit enjoyed by sufferers from merely reading books which they publish, knowing how impossible it is for everyone to visit their practice. If indeed that which we consume emotionally can prevent the need for external medicine, then it should be that our food (novels) becomes medicine.

A beautifully crafted story can be a powerful elixir in helping us deal with anxieties which can lead to mental health issues. The individual is adept at concocting a tonic to soothe the self out of worry, sleeplessness, and (even) depression.