I enjoyed this - but it was perhaps more of a view that I would have taken differently given the genres and the wide expanse of books I tend to delve into. It focused heavily on so many pieces of work that were well-known, but neglected some of the controversial opinions and controversial titles through history.

That said, there is always a place on my shelf for books based on books - an exploration of the novels and titles that make up our worlds is always fascinating, and I did enjoy this book. I just wish it were longer and more detailed and expansive.

Books Promiscuously Read
Reading as a Way of Life
by Heather Cass White
Pub Date 06 Jul 2021
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Biographies & Memoirs


A copy of Books Promiscuously Read was provided to me by Farrar, Straus and Giroux and Netgalley for review purposes:

In Books Promiscuously Read, Heather Cass White explores the pleasures of reading and how it shapes our internal lives. Readers are encouraged to trust in the value of the exhilaration and fascination that comes from constant, disorderly, time-consuming reading. Books Promiscuously Read illustrates the irreplaceable experience of the self that reading provides for those inclined to read rather than arguing for its moral value or superiority over literature as an aesthetic form.


Books Promiscuously Read examines many poems, novels, stories, and works of nonfiction through three sections, Play, Transgression, and Insight. In the prose, quotations reflect the way readers think through the words of others.


Books Promiscuously Read is a tribute to readers’ entire lives as they are reflected in their books, in order to recommit people to those lives. There is an ordinary, unflashy, mutely persistent miracle White writes; that all the books we have yet to read, and all the selves we have yet to become, are still there, still waiting, still undiminished. Astonishing joy.”

I give Books Promiscuously Read five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Thank you, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, for the advanced copy of this book. Since it’s publication, I have purchased (in fact - it was a gift from my husband), a copy of this book.
Reading and health are intertwined. While much academic work exists in narrative medicine, this is not popularly read or available. Thank for for bringing forth the topic in this well-titled (who can ignore it?) book that reinforces the need and importance of continuing the reading life.

Reading had always been one of my greatest joys. And I thought it would be fun to read the memoir of someone who appeared to enjoy reading as much as me! And while this was an interesting collection of essays, moments, and ruminations of what reading is and what it means, it did seem not very exploratory.

Her focus was mostly on the importance of poetry and literary classics. She had a small nod to other authors in a section exploring the reading habits of a 12 year old girl, but there wasn’t nearly as much examination of the ways that people read and why they read that are different from her experiences.

I have a lot of quotes highlighted and bookmarked, and I think I’ll be visiting this book again. It feels like this is one of those books that my thoughts on will change as I do. Honestly, I find myself still thinking of the quote “Even if we never learned a new word from now on there would remain an unlimited number of ways to order the ones we know into books that will change us when we encounter them. It is an astonishing joy.” And this book definitely reminded me why I find reading so joyful.

Far more dense and scholarly than I was expecting, this book is made up of a series of short passages constructing an argument for how and why we read, referencing sources from Don Quixote and Middlemarch to poetry and Plato.

I love books about books and reading, so thought this would be right up my street, but was somewhat taken aback by the initial prepositions which seemed to carry the assumption that everyone experiences reading in the same way and/or uses it for the same purpose. In the author’s argument for reading, therefore, only literary fiction, poetry and fiction as ‘high art’ seem to really count, ignoring the many reasons why people (promiscuously and voraciously) read genre fiction.

There are some interesting, engaging ideas about the pursuit of reading here, but they are mostly buried in the dry, cerebral prose – too impenetrable to be enjoyable for even most avid book-lovers.

Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

I’d love to read a good theoretical exploration of reading, but this was not it. BOOKS PROMISCUOUSLY READ is boring with few new insights. the concluding thoughts could’ve comprised a strong think piece or two. I only finished reading this book because it’s short. two stars not one because nothing was offensive.

Thank you to NetGalley and FSG for the early copy of this book about a topic that is near and dear to my heart.

Books Promiscuously Read is an interesting idea for a book, although I'm not sure exactly who the audience for it is these days, especially after a baffling first portion of the book that focuses on extremely short pieces about poetry.

BPR picks up significantly in the 2nd and 3rd portions, alhtough for such a short book, it takes some effort. The love of reading and books is foremost, of course, and White's deep knowledge of literary history is impressive if not fully engaging.

I didn't know what to expect with this book: I just read the title, completely agreed with the subtitle and decided I needed to read it!

I certainly did not expect this book to be so dense, intelligent and quote-worthy. I definitely need to reread it and annotate it to get the best out of my reading!
Books Promiscuously Read deals what books mean to us, what "reading as a way of life" means; it broaches identity, fiction/reality, writing. It deals with how we read, why, since when and what it brings us or takes from us. It felt true to the reader's experience of reading, beautiful in a way, moving sometimes. There are references, poems, quotes, parallels made.
What I particularly liked was how reading is not seen as a serious business, something academic or scholarly; it's anything but this. It's a danger, a transgression, being against, being strongly for. It's following no rules and still reading the best out of life.

Can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy!!

BOOK REVIEW: Books Promiscuously Read by Heather Cass White

Collection of short essay-like musings on reading and how it influences both the reader & society... ✨😎✨

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All my reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Books, Lifestyle & Home Ideas for Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

If you feel guilty to sit and read in the middle of the day, this book can alleviate some of that guilt.

Heather Cass White reminds us of the pleasure and power of reading. While I didn't enjoy all of the book (I had to skim a few sections; the book felt very disjointed to me), I did enjoy enough to grab hold of her message:

"We should move a step beyond our preoccupation with dissipation and luxury where reading is concerned. The price is too high—it makes us read less. Even the pleasant aura of nocturnal dalliance we get for carving our life into daytime duty and nighttime reading, however attractively naughty it makes reading seem, is a distraction from the challenge of bringing our reading into the daylight. In the daylight we can affirm it, even and perhaps especially if only to ourselves, as a mode of living. We also serve who sit and read."

I hear her say to bring our books into the daylight.

They don't have to be relegated to the last thing we do if we happen to have time left over. (I fall asleep if I wait that late.)

So if you have a spare moment today and you're off the clock, pick up a book. Maybe this book. Without guilt. And read.

"Reading is a morning’s work."

My thanks to NetGalley + Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the review copy of this book.

This is a book about reading. About why we read and how we read and how reading affects us and the affect that reading has on people. It's a book about books. It's a book about my dream life: to be able to read and just sustain myself that way - both physically, mentally and emotionally.

It's a beautiful book about the inner lives that beautiful words can create.

Thank you to NetGalley and Heather Cass White for the opportunity to read and review.

Promiscuously Read: Reading as a Way of Life by Heather Cass White is a non-fiction title focused on the reading life and how it influences the lives of readers. Each vignette focuses on a different thesis with essays connected to one of three topics: Play, Transgression, and Insight. In essence, this book focuses on the importance of reading randomly yet broadly to reap the benefits from reading.

It is not surprising that when I saw the title and summary of this text I was instantly interested. Any bookish reader would be interested in learning arguments for reading, but this book goes one step further and advocates for randomness in the reading life. I really enjoyed some of the topics addressed in this book. It also provided fodder for texts and authors I want to dive into further and how they perceive reading and how this ultimately affects their writing.

I think at times the various essays felt a bit disjointed going from one to the next. Organizing by different or additional sections may have helped organize the arguments in this book more effectively for the reader. However I really enjoyed the Transgression section focused on how historically reading has been an act of rebellion for individuals, particularly for the disenfranchised. I think the author also provided a solid argument for why it is important we continue to do so and acknowledge the power reading has.

The prose of this book is a bit heady but book lovers who appreciate complexity in writing and arguments would appreciate this novel. Overall I enjoyed this novel and it left me reflecting on my own reading life which I appreciated!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the advanced reader copy in return for an honest review!

Heather Cass White is a poetry editor, an English professor at the University of Alabama and an advocate for reading books with complete abandon. She sees engaging with a book as an experience to be cherished rather than merely a story to be read and argues that reading is one of the purest forms of magic we have, but at some point, to many individuals, it lost the spark of joy true bibliophiles receive from indulging in a world outside of our own. It's divided into five distinct sections: Propositions, Play, Transgression, Insight and Conclusions. Propositions consists of 22 notions about reading taken from prominent published works and writers. I must admit I didn't expect it to read as it did; it has almost a dreamlike, lyrical quality to it that instantly intrigues and keeps you progressing page and after page.

It perfectly illustrates the experience of reading, alongside informing a perspective of it. The chapters Play, Transgression and Insight move to a more conventional prose style and cover the fundamentals of reading in a liberating, freeing fashion and therefore opening ourselves up to new reading experiences rather than just staying within our cosy, unchallenging chosen niche or genre. After all, White posits, how will we ever be surprised by a book if we continue to only read within a narrow margin? Transgression was the most fascinating part for me as it explores reading as an act of rebellion and defiance and only by stepping outside of one's previous self-constructed boundaries can we truly know the pleasure that comes from stepping into a fabulous book.

Insight discusses how we traverse different spheres through entering the fictional world held between the pages of a novel which provide us with a transitory escape from reality; this often serves to nourish our soul and replenish us before returning us to the real world. Citing authors such as Jane Austen, Walt Whitman and quotes from Emily Dickinson, Don DeLillo, and Don Quixote, White reminds us how reading expands our consciousness, helps shape perspectives and ideas, and contributes to our personal growth. Although on its way to becoming more academic than accessible to everyone, White weaves a compelling, thought-provoking and profoundly informative read, which I found interesting and thoroughly entertaining. She explores some abstract concepts throughout but, on the whole, I feel any voracious reader would gain something from picking it up. Dense, reflective and a completely original piece of literary criticism. Highly recommended.

So I requested Books Promiscuously Read because it was labeled on NetGalley has a memoir focused on the author’s life as a reader. It is not. White doesn’t discuss her life at all. In fact, I think I noted only one place where she even used the first person. Rather, it’s a kind of exploration on how and why we read. But I felt confused about it’s purpose due the major difference in the tone of the first part and the others.

The first section, titled “Propositions” contains pithy statements about reading, books, and readers. Some include: “Reading creates minds in its image,” “A reader should read every day, and “Books are a realm of unreason.” Each statement is followed by a page or two of explanation. I was bored during this part. It seems like the author is trying to be insightful, but honestly it came off as vague and pretentious to me. None of it felt particularly relatable as a reader, and I didn’t any deep truths about why I or anyone else reads. Honestly, I almost stopped reading after the first few “Propositions” because I didn’t want to read a full book of this.

Luckily, White does not continue with this format for the rest of the book. She turns instead to a more academic discussion of reading in works of literature, including Frankenstein, Middlemarch, and the poetry of Elizabeth Bishop. As a literature student, this part was more engaging for me, but I wasn’t in the mood for an academic read. This isn’t the book’s fault; it’s mainly an issue with the way NetGalley categorized the book. If it hadn’t been placed in the biography and memoir category, I probably wouldn’t have requested it. Despite this, I did find White’s insights into these books interesting, and I may revisit them when I’m in the right mood. These sections do feel tonally at odds with the first section, and I didn’t feel the two worked together well. I would have preferred a straight academic book without the “Propositions.”

Overall, Books Promiscuously Read wasn’t what I expected and wasn’t the book for me, but there is certainly an audience for the academic portions.

Thank you to the author, Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love books about books, and the title immediately attracted my interest. Investigating the how and why we read, this book is part meditation, part literary criticism, and contains many tidbits of insight. At the same time, it's heavily weighted to the more cerebral/scholarly and large parts come across as very dry. The author is clearly a reader with vast knowledge, but overall, I found it hard to connect with the central ideas and thrust of the book.

Books Promiscuously Read was an interesting compilation. While the summary sounded fascinating to read, the book its self was a bit dry, with an almost textbook feeling to it. All in all, I'm glad I read it, but will not read it again.

For a reader, there is nothing like delving into the pages of a good book. Reading serves as a method for traveling across time and distance, and for looking into minds and hearts radically different from our own. Books provide anything from a breezy escape from the everyday on a summer afternoon to an insightful examination of the darkest parts of human nature. Books are, as many writers have said before, a special kind of magic.

But not everyone views reading as an active or demanding activity. After all, the reader is just sitting there, staring at pieces of paper (or pixels on a screen, or listening to a narrator) instead of doing something active like housework, sports, walking the dog, or chatting with other people in the room. “What use is reading?” the non-reader asks, forcing the reader to justify their beloved activity. “Reading engages different parts of the brain”, we might say. Or, “We learn empathy by reading this novel”, or “We’re learning about this vital subject by reading the latest nonfiction book”.

Of course, these answers often feel trite to serious readers who just want to be left alone with a new book. But the doubters may have a point, as Heather Cass White points out in her new book, Books Promiscuously Read. Reading is a dangerous act. A book transmits information from one person to another to another, and there’s no knowing whose hands that book could end up in, or what sorts of ideas it could inspire. Books have led to political revolutions, galvanized movements, and upended our notions about the foundations of life as we know it.

Books are dangerous.

This is why pearl-clutchers throughout the ages have decried salacious or violent elements in books, why dictators make lists of forbidden texts, and why readers around the world and throughout history have risked their lives to get their hands on books. People want their stories, no matter what it takes to get them. Reading opens the mind to world, though the reader may not always like what they encounter. In one chapter, White discusses the writings of enslaved Black Americans who learned to read in the South, despite the laws forbidding it. Frederick Douglass, for example, wrote of how his eyes were opened to lives other than his own– free lives– and that it made his own condition seem even worse in comparison. But would he have traded his nearly unbearable knowledge of the world for the ignorance of his childhood? No, he undoubtedly would not have, for his knowledge gave him the ability to rise above the level that slave-owners intended for him.

White also notes that high illiteracy rates among women in developing countries prevents those women from attaining or even advocating for gender equality, which prevents their children and successive generations from climbing out of poverty themselves. Being able to decipher marks on a page grants a reader more than just the ability to enjoy the latest bestseller. It gives them the power to understand the world around them, and from there it grants the ability to do something as simple as reading a street sign to something as complicated as learning an intricate scientific process. If knowledge is power, then the ability to read is critical.

Books Promiscuously Read is a series of thoughtful meditations about the act of reading, and how reading affects our lives. White urges us to read widely- promiscuously, even- as one can never know what new book or idea will inspire new ideas and new ways of looking at the world. If there’s a flaw in White’s approach, it’s in the books and she chooses to quote in these essays. All the passages come from classics, poetry, and literary fiction, which some- but not all- readers may recognize, but not necessarily feel drawn to. For a book that praises the act of reading and asks that readers be promiscuous in their reading tastes, acknowledging that genre fiction– mysteries, thrillers, science fiction and fantasy, and especially romance– is what keeps the publishing industry alive so highbrow literary types can have their obscure novels, would not go amiss. Still, White doesn’t bemoan the existence of genre fiction and this alone sets her apart from other members of the literati who would rather have an eye put out than read the latest from Stephen King or Nora Roberts.

As passive as it might seem, reading is a dangerous activity. When we open a book, we don’t know what we’ll pick up from it. Maybe it will be nothing. Maybe it will be an idea that changes the world. It’s hard to say, but the adventure involved in finding out is worth it. For readers in need of a defense of their passion, Books Promiscuously Read provides that and more.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion.

Heather Cass White is a poetry professor so I guess it’s no surprise this was a pretty academic book, but I can see the confusion so many reviewers felt.

Despite my own lack of exposure to so many of the poems she examines, I felt more prepared to read those now instead of put off of an inaccessible text.

Much more academic than most readers will expect, but an impassioned defense of promiscuous, unfettered, voracious, and inconvenient reading.

It's not you; it's me. I am newly retired and have time to read as often as I want and as deeply as I want, so I should relish the opportunity to reflect on Heather Cass White's musings on one of my favorite pastimes. However, I am acting instead on my fear that there are so many books and so little time. I'm reading and not thinking about reading.

I do not have time for this book. I do not have the time to meditate on the processes of reading, the goals and the gifts of reading. Why we read? How we read? What should we expect or not expect of reading? At 20, Books Promiscuously Read would have sent me running for my journal to capture my own profound wonderings. Rather, I do more what what she says we must do. I read.

Right book; wrong time.

(On the other hand, it really can't hold a candle to Ann Fadiman's Ex Libris.)

Thank you to the publishers for providing me with an eArc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Books Promiscuously Read is a critical reading that promises an exploration into the nature of reading. It is separated into five parts with the middle and conclusive part being divided into smaller sections. Unfortunately, the book wasn't what I first led myself to believe. As a reader, I was very excited to dive into another book about reading however, most of the book was not how I perceived it to be.

For me, the first section (Propositions) was very confusing and felt incomplete. By being separated into small sections, it meant that whatever they were talking about in each part didn't have much time to talk and explain the reasons for this. In many sections, I honestly didn't even know what they were trying to talk about no matter how much I had reread and tried to understand what was written. Sometimes the sections would finish abruptly and I would have no satisfaction in its end but was forced to turn the page and move on.

There were many quotes from this section that threw me off and didn't sit right for me, especially this one:

"Reading is time-consuming and requires focus. One has to sit down to do it, in a quiet place."

This is false. There are many other ways that people can and do enjoy reading such as audiobooks and ebooks which people can use at any times throughout the day, with audiobooks you can even use them while doing other things.

In the description for this book, it states that it, "is a tribute to the whole lives readers live in their books and aims to recommit people to those lives." And when reading it I couldn't see how the author was trying to do this.

It is unfortunate that I did not enjoy nor relate to this book in the way that I hoped but I am sure there are other readers out there who would love this book much more than I did! Thank you once again to the publishers for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.