Why We Should Read

In an age of distraction and superficial reading, S. P. B. Mais makes an impassioned case for why literature matters. Writing in 1911, he critiques the careless reader who flits from book to book without ever forming genuine connections, arguing that reading deeply creates lasting bonds with authors and their characters - real companionship across time. Through careful readings of classics like Fielding's Tom Jones and Brontë's Wuthering Heights, Mais demonstrates that great books offer not mere entertainment but profound understanding of human experience. This is no dry academic treatise; it's a warm invitation to discover how reading can transform a life, one page at a time. For anyone who has ever wondered why stories matter, Mais offers an answer that still resonates over a century later.