I am aware of the importance of reading. It helps us improve our vocabulary and interiorize the language structures, both academic and colloquial language -depending on the readings. However, I am not such a good reader. During the school year, I am usually exhausted with all the school work… But I do enjoy this pleasure when I travel and when I am relaxed in summer.
I have not always enjoyed reading though. I remember when I was a student and we had to read imposed books… I hated it. Some of them could end up being interesting, but I would not like most of them or would not understand them if they were in English. I could relate myself to that image of a class where they all are reading the same book.
I was lucky enough some years ago when I was studying Italian since our teacher let us choose a title among a bunch she gave us. I chose a funny book and I liked it. I would not have read it in Spanish though. I guess the kind of book you read in each language depends on your level in that language. If it is low or basic, you won’t be ready to read books about certain topics or specific vocabulary. In my mother tongue I enjoy mysterious books. These days I can read more or less the same kind of books in my L1 and my L2 (English) as my level is good enough. Actually, the book I am reading is an autobiography by a British pianist, and I have never read anything similar in my mother tongue; but I could not read anything like this in my L3 (Italian) since my level is way lower in that one.
So whatever you read (and no matter the format -I’m still a paper person), make sure it is something you choose and something you think you are going to enjoy, because that is what counts.
As Dr. Seuss wrote: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places that you’ll go.”
