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Books like The pleasures of reading in an age of distraction
A playfully irreverent and deeply encouraging guide that grants you permission to read whatever brings you joy, entirely without shame. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with The pleasures of reading in an age of distraction.
- liberating
- warm
- intellectually stimulating
- 01
How to read and why
Harold Bloom
An impassioned, erudite invitation to treat the reading of great literature as a profound act of self-discovery.
- 02
How to read literature like a professor
Thomas C. Foster · 2003
A friendly, fireside chat with your favorite English teacher that permanently changes how you consume stories.
- 03
On Looking
Alexandra Horowitz
A gentle invitation to wake up and notice the hidden wonders scattered across your daily routine.
- 04
Excellent Sheep
William Deresiewicz
A sharp, impassioned wake-up call that challenges the relentless pursuit of prestige in favor of genuine self-discovery.
- 05
The age of American unreason
Susan Jacoby
A fierce, erudite wake-up call for a culture drowning in infotainment and willful ignorance.
- 06
The elements of eloquence
Mark Forsyth
A joyful, witty romp through the hidden formulas that make great sentences sing.
- 07
How we learn
Benedict Carey
A reassuring, science-backed permission slip to stop cramming and start letting your brain learn the way it actually wants to.
- 08
Reading Like a Writer
Francine Prose
An invitation to slow down, pull up a chair, and marvel at the architecture of a perfectly crafted sentence.
- 09
Curious
Ian Leslie
An urgent, intellectually stimulating wake-up call about the difference between easily googled facts and the deep, empathetic quest for true understanding.
- 10
The Polysyllabic Spree
Nick Hornby · 2004
A laugh-out-loud, highly relatable chronicle of the eternal battle between the books we buy and the books we actually read.
- 11
Ex Libris
Anne Fadiman · 1998
A warm, witty love letter to the physical and emotional weight of books, perfect for anyone who considers their library a living, breathing roommate.
- 12
Deep Work
Cal Newport
A rigorous, clarifying manifesto for reclaiming your attention and finding quiet mastery in a world of constant digital noise.
