Reading is the process of looking at symbols to ascertain meaning.
It’s as simple and as complicated as that. Reading is a means of communication. It’s the transfer of information from one person to another. It’s a basic tool for functioning in our society. It’s a skill by which to absorb more knowledge. It’s a form of endless entertainment.
On a deeper level, reading is the ability to travel to other worlds and meet non-existent people. Reading is one of the profound joys of life. It allows us to experience existence more richly and fully. Reading is also one of the most timeless and ubiquitous human experiences.
As long as there’s been a written language, there has been reading. So reading is not quite as ancient or universal as oral communication, but it’s still pretty ancient and universal. People have been reading around the world and in hundreds of languages for millennia. And during that time, reading has fused itself into the foundations of human culture.
Incredibly, we can share knowledge, spread ideas and elicit deep emotion simply from looking at words on a page. That’s the power of reading. We may forget about that power because of how common and banal reading has become. But reading should never be taken for granted.
In its simplest form, reading is the sharing of information. At its most profound, reading is an experience of infinite possibilities and opportunities. Reading can be simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary.
Pew Research has identified a few different definitions of reading, including: “the recognition of sight words” and “the comprehension of novel text.” But even these objective researchers acknowledge that reading is significantly more complex than just that. It’s impossible to pin down precisely.
When we talk about reading, most people naturally think in the context of reading novels. Which makes sense—that’s how a majority of our culture imagines reading. But the act of reading extends far beyond just the realm of printed fiction. It also includes reading newspapers, and blogs, and audiobooks, and graphic novels, and traffic signs.
In this “book”, we’ll discuss reading books and novels, but we’ll also examine reading's wider application. Only then can we begin to understand and appreciate the true impact that reading has on people everywhere.
There are as many definitions of reading as there are readers. Each reader has a unique and personal experience, and a unique and personal way to describe it.
With that said, here are some of those definitions in quote form from some accomplished readers.