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happyknitter2020's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
5.0
One of the best books have ever read...a book about hundreds of books to keep alongside you throughout life challenges. Will read the books referenced & keep this beautiful book close throughout my own life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Child death, Mental illness, and Miscarriage
elektra_lucia's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Looooove this and all my love to Cathy Rentzenbrink and her lovely mind and recommendations. What a ride, had no idea how much this was also a (fantastic) memoir when I randomly picked it up from the library (purely based on title and cover haha)🫶🫶
Other recs if you loved this book:
- I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel
- Boys and Girls Forever by Alison Lurie
- Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence
- Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman
Other recs if you loved this book:
- I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel
- Boys and Girls Forever by Alison Lurie
- Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence
- Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Alcoholism
sas_lk's review against another edition
3.0
A love letter to reading. I enjoyed reading it, although I feel I would've enjoyed it more if I had read more of the books the author mentioned.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Alcoholism
Minor: Miscarriage and Death
my_plant_library's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Alcoholism, and Death
Moderate: Miscarriage
questingnotcoasting's review against another edition
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.5
I should have really loved this because like Cathy Rentzenbrink I've always loved books and found comfort in them but there was something about this which meant I never quite connected with her writing. I really don't know what it is because I've read and enjoyed most of the books she discusses but I just never felt the comfort and cosiness in this book that other reviews mention.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death, Cancer, and Alcohol
Minor: Car accident
isobelk_18's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Car accident and Grief
ka_t's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
So many good book recommendations came from this. As you get to know the author more through the stories of her life you feel as though you are being recommended favourite books by a friend. Took a little while to get into it (and two attempts, I put it down for a while) but once back in I steamed through the second half in two days.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death
asourceoffiction's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
Comfort and joy really are in abundance throughout this book if you love reading. The structure is lovely, with autobiography interspersed with a list of book recommendations following a theme from the previous chapter. It's like a warm, bookish hug and I so enjoyed curling up under a blanket with a cup of tea and picking up this beauty.
It also helped that I shared a lot of the same opinions on individual books, like Riders (just as valid reading as a 'classic') or Lady Chatterley's Lover (weird, out of place sex!). And I really identified with the way Rentzenbrink talks about specific books. But even where my opinions differed it took nothing away from the wonderful tone. I frequently found myself stopping to write down a book I know I'll need to read.
What also resonated with me was the fact that nobody should ever be judged for how slowly they read, what they choose or why they read. Reading should be a welcoming hobby regardless of skill or interests. Nowhere is this better highlighted than when Rentzenbrink hands out copies of the same book to inmates at Brixton prison in the morning, and members of the House of Commons in the afternoon!
TW: be aware that Harry Potter is discussed a lot throughout the book; the series forms much of Rentzenbrink's history with books (as a reader and bookseller), and the author is only minimally mentioned, but if this is a trigger for you please read with caution.
It also helped that I shared a lot of the same opinions on individual books, like Riders (just as valid reading as a 'classic') or Lady Chatterley's Lover (weird, out of place sex!). And I really identified with the way Rentzenbrink talks about specific books. But even where my opinions differed it took nothing away from the wonderful tone. I frequently found myself stopping to write down a book I know I'll need to read.
What also resonated with me was the fact that nobody should ever be judged for how slowly they read, what they choose or why they read. Reading should be a welcoming hobby regardless of skill or interests. Nowhere is this better highlighted than when Rentzenbrink hands out copies of the same book to inmates at Brixton prison in the morning, and members of the House of Commons in the afternoon!
TW: be aware that Harry Potter is discussed a lot throughout the book; the series forms much of Rentzenbrink's history with books (as a reader and bookseller), and the author is only minimally mentioned, but if this is a trigger for you please read with caution.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Car accident
emma6544's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Miscarriage
wordsofclover's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
I received a copy of this book from Book Break in exchange for an honest review.
Oh what a book!
"Reading has always been a great source of comfort , knowledge, pleasure and joy. It is the most central aspect of my identity; the truest thing I could say about myself is, 'I'm a reader.'"
This was such a wonderful book and it's a really long time since I've seen myself so clearly reflected back at me in the words and the story I'm reading, and I'm not sure if it's ever happened in a non-fiction read.
In Dear Reader, Cathy Rentzenbrink talks about her life in context to the books she read during different points, and how books were always her great big love, her friends, her comfort, her joy when she needed them most.
I loved how Cathy talked about her childhood and despite being misunderstood by teachers, was a happy girl as long as she had her books to read. I loved her family, and how her parents were happy for her to read anything (similar to mine - the only thing my dad ever stopped me reading was Top of the Pops magazine!).
While my childhood was different to Cathy's, I still felt myself connect to her with the experience of feeling on the outside, desperate for a way in and often using books and stories as that bridge to understand experiences. I was the same child going to bed and reading by any type of torch light under my covers (once I even used a light-up Lumiere toy from McDonald's);
"Reading woke me up rather than calmed me down."
I loved hearing about Cathy's days as a bookseller and while she definitely highlighted the lows of such a life, as well as the highs, I still felt vaguely jealous I never took that path and was surrounded by books 24/7. I appreciated her enthusiasm and the time she gave her customers as someone who also talks enthusiastically to anyone I meet about my favourite books. Maybe I'm an unofficial bookseller?
"Every book offers an invitation to open a door and find a way to another world. It is both simple and profound to consider the vastness of human experience that sits on one small shelf of books."
Cathy's time helping people, particularly prisoners, to read and write was eye-opening and humbling and I love how her father's experience helped her build empathy and a true understanding. The way Cathy also talked about her depression and grief following her brother's death was also one I felt privileged to hear about, and while I have thankfully never been through something similar, I can understand and connect with how books are a source of comfort, escape and often a reflection of the pain one might feel over anything; whether it be grief, bullying, family issues, health issues etc.
I also really appreciated the vast array of books talked about in this book! And they're not all classics or books written a long time ago, which is something you often see in other books about books. There's lots of modern books mentioned including My Name is Leon, A Little Life, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous.
This book is the perfect read for someone who finds an escape in the words they read, and would be a wonderful gift for anyone struggling to buy for a book lover! I enjoyed every second of it.
"Once upon a time there was a little girl who loved books. She still does. She always will."
Oh what a book!
"Reading has always been a great source of comfort , knowledge, pleasure and joy. It is the most central aspect of my identity; the truest thing I could say about myself is, 'I'm a reader.'"
This was such a wonderful book and it's a really long time since I've seen myself so clearly reflected back at me in the words and the story I'm reading, and I'm not sure if it's ever happened in a non-fiction read.
In Dear Reader, Cathy Rentzenbrink talks about her life in context to the books she read during different points, and how books were always her great big love, her friends, her comfort, her joy when she needed them most.
I loved how Cathy talked about her childhood and despite being misunderstood by teachers, was a happy girl as long as she had her books to read. I loved her family, and how her parents were happy for her to read anything (similar to mine - the only thing my dad ever stopped me reading was Top of the Pops magazine!).
While my childhood was different to Cathy's, I still felt myself connect to her with the experience of feeling on the outside, desperate for a way in and often using books and stories as that bridge to understand experiences. I was the same child going to bed and reading by any type of torch light under my covers (once I even used a light-up Lumiere toy from McDonald's);
"Reading woke me up rather than calmed me down."
I loved hearing about Cathy's days as a bookseller and while she definitely highlighted the lows of such a life, as well as the highs, I still felt vaguely jealous I never took that path and was surrounded by books 24/7. I appreciated her enthusiasm and the time she gave her customers as someone who also talks enthusiastically to anyone I meet about my favourite books. Maybe I'm an unofficial bookseller?
"Every book offers an invitation to open a door and find a way to another world. It is both simple and profound to consider the vastness of human experience that sits on one small shelf of books."
Cathy's time helping people, particularly prisoners, to read and write was eye-opening and humbling and I love how her father's experience helped her build empathy and a true understanding. The way Cathy also talked about her depression and grief following her brother's death was also one I felt privileged to hear about, and while I have thankfully never been through something similar, I can understand and connect with how books are a source of comfort, escape and often a reflection of the pain one might feel over anything; whether it be grief, bullying, family issues, health issues etc.
I also really appreciated the vast array of books talked about in this book! And they're not all classics or books written a long time ago, which is something you often see in other books about books. There's lots of modern books mentioned including My Name is Leon, A Little Life, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous.
This book is the perfect read for someone who finds an escape in the words they read, and would be a wonderful gift for anyone struggling to buy for a book lover! I enjoyed every second of it.
"Once upon a time there was a little girl who loved books. She still does. She always will."
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, and Miscarriage