I requested a free ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review of the book.

While Books Promiscuously Read is classified as Biography and Memoir, this scholarly work dissects the central thesis: Read for joy, regularly and indiscriminately— by way of numerous literary passages and examples. The work offers a valuable perspective, but requires a dedicated and thoughtful reader who is prepared for the in-depth discussion.

Cerebral and intense, this is the kind of book I need to be in the right mood for. I really enjoyed the first section and then the next super long essay lost me. Lots of highlighted sections and food for thought, though!

This is a fascinating idea of book, investigating the how and why we read and is in praise of those writers and readers who know that what they embark on is completely special.

White is a good writer and I found this a quick read. My only criticism is that is veers very heavily into "published dissertation" (and this is probably its point) and thus becomes a bit dry. White is clearly a vast reader, and has a stunning ability to assess the minutiae of writing. Is there anything nicer than reading a book by someone who loves writers and, even more, readers? Probably not.

Thanks to NetGalley, Farrar, Straus and Giroux and Heather Cass White for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There were many interesting ideas to ponder in this phenomenological exploration of the reading life. While I found the structure and prose-style somewhat fragmented, I enjoyed reflecting on many of the ideas the author presented.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review this ARC.

Books Promiscuously Read by Heather Cass White is a lovely look into the central question of literature: why do we as humans read? Through the useage of numbered lists, the author describes aspects of the reading life such as how reading can be insidious and why reading is an act of play. I highly enjoyed this work and highly recommend it to all English majors and lovers of academic literature.

“Reading requires an internal surrender, without promise of return in any external sense.”

I am a lover of books that explore Books. This was an incredible experience. The episodic snippets of thought had me reeling and sometimes out loud going “wow, that’s exactly how I’ve been feeling but have been unable to put it into words.”

This book is a bookworms delight. An incredibly intelligent, thoughtful, nuanced and entertaining take on what many people consider a huge part of their lives: reading.

A beautiful take on an age old subject. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to feel like Heather Cass White a little bit lives inside your head and understands your inner workings more than you do.

If you Love Reading you Will adore this wonderful book.. White goes into detail about authors whose characters live tbe Reading Life like Dorothea in Middlemarch. She is an authortity on Marianne Moore and brought thid writer to my attention.