The Reading of Books

"In the third of his delectable books on books, Holbrook Jackson focuses on the relationship between author and reader, describing reading as "the art of extracting essences from books for our own, not the author's benefit". Books are to be considered not solely as works of art but as one of the means of the art of living. Defining "bookmanship" as the art of adjusting literature to life, Jackson describes reading as a courtship ending in a collaboration. Attentive readers enter into a creative process with their books, integrating the writer's aesthetic observations and designs into their own experiences. Through this exquisite synthesis, books give pleasure by deepening and refining readers' sensibilities and extending the boundaries of their lives. As Jackson says, reading is not a duty, and if it is not a pleasure it is a waste of time. Entertaining as well as instructive, his "books on books" provide inveterate readers with all things needful: vindication, inspiration, cogitation, and delectation."