Why I read : the serious pleasure of books
(Unknown)

Lesser draws on a lifetime of pleasure reading and decades of editing to describe her love of literature. As Lesser writes in her prologue, "Reading can result in boredom or transcendence, rage or enthusiasm, depression or hilarity, empathy or contempt, depending on who you are and what the book is and how your life is shaping up at the moment you encounter it." Here the reader will discover a definition of literature that is as broad as it is broad-minded. In addition to novels and stories, Lesser explores plays, poems, and essays along with mysteries, science fiction, and memoirs. All categories are examined from such perspectives as Character and Plot, Novelty, Grandeur and Intimacy, and Authority.