When I was nineteen, I read the The Footsteps of Anne Frank by Ernst Schnabel. This follow-up to the famous diary gives more of the background about the people who helped to hide Anne and her family, what happened on the night the Gestapo found their hiding place, and the events leading up to Anne’s death in a concentration camp at the age of fifteen. It’s fairly sombre stuff, but it gave me my first real glimpse of what the Holocaust must have been like for Jews at that time. I remember turning over the last page and then walking into our kitchen and telling my mother I would never be the same after reading that book. A tad melodramatic perhaps, but it did affect me, and I’ve read many books since that have also moved me and prompted me to think about issues I’d never grappled with before.
But as I’m writing this blog, Russia is at war with the Ukraine, southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales are dealing with the worst floods in more than 100 years, and people are still dying every day from COVID-19. Today I don’t want to read about the Holocaust. Today my reading pile consists of a devotional about grace and gratitude, a funny murder mystery by Richard Osman, and two volumes of retro comics from the 1950s and 1960s. It’s not Anne Frank, but light reading is what I need right now.
When Books Stab
In a large online book group I’m a member of, someone posted the following quote from author Franz Kafka:
‘I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound or stab us. If the book we’re reading doesn’t wake us up with a blow to the head, what are we reading for? So that it will make us happy, as you write? … we would be happy precisely if we had no books, and the kind of books that make us happy are the kind we could write ourselves if we had to. But we need books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us.’
That quote certainly prompted a bit of debate. Some people agreed with it wholeheartedly, saying they couldn’t be bothered reading a book that didn’t affect them in some way. Others disagreed. One woman said she had been abused as a child, so the last thing she needed was a book that ‘stabbed’ her. Another reader shared that she was a professional counsellor who dealt with heavy issues all day, so she wanted to read books to escape from that and find some release.
This got me thinking about why the light read is sometimes maligned by those of a more literary persuasion. I think one reason might be that they equate a light read with something that is poorly written and not worth their time. Indeed, that may sometimes be the case, but there are also many wonderful books in the light category.
What is a Light Read?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines light reading as ‘something that is easy to read’. The Collins dictionary defines it as ‘reading which is not demanding or intellectual’. However, I don’t think those definitions necessarily imply that it’s a piece of fluff either. You can write beautifully, but still make it accessible. You can include food for thought without giving your readers ‘a blow to the head’. So what can we say in defence of the light read?
The Value of a Light Read
Accessibility
Books in this category usually have fairly straightforward language, so you don’t have to look up a word every couple of paragraphs to work out what’s happening. That doesn’t mean they’re ‘dumbed-down’. They can still be beautifully written with evocative imagery, but they’re not pretentious in showing off how clever they are. Given that many children and adults struggle to read (see my earlier post), it helps if at least some books are written in a simpler style that is easier to understand.
Escape
If you’re experiencing challenges in your personal or work life, a light read is a good way to wind down, catch your breath and allow you the mental space to recharge. There can be a negative side to this if people are using it to avoid issues that really need to be confronted. However, all of us could use a break from time to time. Escaping into another world can help us realise that there are other possibilities out there waiting to be explored.
Fun or Entertainment Value
Sometimes in Christian circles, there can be pressure to do more and more so that we’re filling in each gap in our timetables and making the most of every minute. However, there’s nothing wrong with having some down time and enjoying something just for the pleasure of it. Those moments of joy can help lift our spirits, give us something to look forward to, and show us just how creative our God is in the richness of creative gifts he’s bestowed on his children.
Comfort
A favourite book, author or genre can be like a warm pair of slippers on a cold day, a trusted friend in a time of loneliness, a safe harbour in a storm, and a caramel and sea-salt dairy-free ice cream when you’re supposed to be on a diet. Whoops! That last one might be relevant for me, but you get the idea. There’s something comforting about a quality light read.
A Positive or Uplifting Message
As I noted at the beginning of this post, there are a lot of negative events happening in the world at the moment. Yes, I keep abreast of the news headlines, but I also need some positive input in my day to remind me that it’s not all doom and gloom. A light read with a positive message can be just the pick-me-up I need on days like that.
Gentle Home Truths
Just because a book is ‘light’, it doesn’t mean it’s devoid of valuable material. I would put all of Alexander McCall Smith’s books in the ‘light read’ category, but there are pearls of wisdom scattered throughout each one. They’re more like a tap on the shoulder than a knife between the shoulder blades, but sometimes that’s just what we need. It’s in those quiet moments that we can hear the whispers of God.
Biblical Precedent
The Bible consists of 66 books written in different styles, across different genres. I’m guessing that most people would find it easier to read and understand Mark’s gospel and some of the worship Psalms than Leviticus, Romans or Revelation. That doesn’t mean we should avoid the difficult sections and cherry pick the parts that make us feel warm and fuzzy. However, there are days when we need to soak in the message that God loves us, and leave the heavier issues for another time. Which leads to a caveat.
But There’s a Catch
In defending the light read, I’m not suggesting that we should focus on that kind of material exclusively. Sometimes we have to confront the hard issues. Sometimes we need to read Revelation rather than Psalms. Sometimes we need to read a book on a topic we struggle with, so we can learn keys for dealing with it. Sometimes we need to read a challenging book to help us better understand a topic or people group. But let’s not make the mistake of thinking that only deep, literary works are of value. Kafka may have liked his books to be ‘an axe for the frozen sea within [him]’, but he probably needed to lighten up once in a while too.
What do you think about the quote from Kafka earlier in this post? What light reads can you recommend? I’d love to hear your suggestions.
Photo Credit
Featured photo by Alexas Fotos on Pixabay. Other photo by the author.
The Kafka quote sounds very dark and–well–Kafka-esque to me, but I still do agree with him in part at least. I like to have some meaty book at hand to read that challenges me or touches me deeply, whether fiction or non-fiction. But I also like to have several books on the go at once, so to speak, so I can pick and choose, depending on my mood and what is happening in my life and the world around me. If I feel brave and strong (!), I choose the meaty book. If I feel like learning something more, I choose a teaching book on hand. But if I feel a tad weary, yay for the lighter books! And, with all the current troubles in the world, my light choice at the moment, would you believe, are the ‘Anne’ books by L M Montgomery, all over again!
I agree, Jo. I usually have a few books on the go and there are lots of meaty ones on my to-read list, but I have to be in the mood. Lately, I’ve been turning more to the light reads, but I’m sure there’ll be some meatier ones through the year. And the ‘Anne’ books make perfect light reading. “God’s in his heaven, all’s right with the world.” I think that’s why I like Alexander McCall Smith’s books, especially the ‘No. 1 Ladies’ Detective agency series. Full of kindness and grace. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Hey Nola, love your thoughts on the value of light reads. Every book is different; it has its own personality and quirks, like a human. And, just like a human, each book has a place in the world.
Thanks for that, Steph. You’re so right. It would be boring if we all wrote the same type of book or enjoyed reading the same type of book. And there are different seasons too. It’s great to have such diversity. Thanks for commenting.
Hey Nola, I really enjoyed your post. I love a lot of different genres but I love the light read when I don’t want to think too much. When I was a carer for my parents while they were dealing with cancer, I only read short, clean romance novels. The stories still had depth, but they weren’t drama filled or filled with hard topics. And I absolutely loved them because life was already hard at the time.
But like you said, even the light reads have pearls of wisdom in there and we can still learn something or be moved. There is a season for everything, including book types!!
Thanks for that, Leila. I’m sorry to hear about your parents. That must have been hard. A couple of years ago, my father was hospitalised suddenly and I had to drop everything and go to Brisbane to look after my Mum for a month. Everything was hard. In the local bookstore, I discovered a couple of volumes of old Superman comics from the late 1930s and early 1940s, so that became my reading, along with magazines. So much was happening that the last thing I needed was a heavy read. Fortunately Dad recovered, but my interest in retro comics has remained. There are definitely seasons for everything. I also like romantic suspense, and I have a few ‘go-to’ authors when I want to unwind, like Colleen Coble, Dani Pettrey, Susan May Warren and Terri Blackstock. They still have interesting insights and make you think about things, but they’re fairly straightforward reads. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Thanks, Nola. And great to hear that your Dad recovered. Mine did too, praise God. But thanks for sharing those authors, I will have to keep an eye out for them!
I’ve always loved writing and reading…Composition and Art were my favourite topics at school, and playtime 😀 . I began writing children’s stories and plays when I was involved in teaching RI at the local schools and assisting in Children’s Ministries at my church. I also used to lead a women’s bible study group many years ago, and after researching the ‘topic’, I wrote down my thoughts to make my presentations at the meetings. I’ve been writing my autobiography along with some deep and meaningful, or just plain fun thoughts on various points of interest with the dream to publish that at some time. For the past three years I’ve been attending a local writers’ group which has opened up new genres to me, i.e. Short Stories. I went in to this writers’ group saying, I can’t write short stories and to my utter delight have discovered that I can. And I am soooo encouraged by the other members of this group. We are given a different Heading to work on for the next meeting, but have the option to use it or choose your own. This has opened up my writing to include, Romance, Horror, Fantasy, Adventure etc. I didn’t know I could write like that. I’m really enjoying it. So, now I’m planning to publish my short stories…some time in the future. So, my point is…write what you want to write! Your writing is a Gift from God, so write what He prompts you to write, in whatever genre and style calls you at the time.
Hi Susan – That’s great to hear that you’ve been exploring short stories. I didn’t think I could write fiction either until I studied a fiction course at Tabor college about 10 years ago and discovered that I could. It’s also good to try different mediums altogether, like poetry, memoir, scriptwriting. You never know where it will lead. Isn’t it great that we have such a creative God who gives us different interests and gifts. It would be boring if we all wrote the same sort of book. Good luck with your short story collection, and thanks for commenting.
Thanks, Nola. I definitely agree that there is a need for light reading. After reading some weightier books, I always like to go for a light read next so that I can just chill out and enjoy something with a much less weighty topic, and reset. I have to have a mix of both in my reading life.
Thanks for that, Susan. Yes, I usually have a mix on the go as well. I like a deeper read, but sometimes I just need to chill out and read things just for fun. I like your idea of the ‘reset’. Thanks for taking the time to comment.