I love reading as much as the next person, but I have to admit that I don’t always get around to reading as many books as I would like to. I can usually manage between 6-10 in a year, but I know avid readers who zoom through that many stories in a month! Personally, I have found that being part of a book club has kept me accountable for my reading and forced me to have a book lined up at all times. 

But if you’re a bibliophile who spends all of your free time with your head in a book, this subreddit’s content is right up your alley. This online community, whose name we have to censor, notes that it’s “for all book lovers” and encourages members to share “high quality images of books.” The group has amassed over 179k members and is the perfect place to gather if you’re looking for recommendations, want to discuss your latest read or simply want to see satisfying photos of gorgeous books and libraries!

To learn more about the magic of reading, we reached out to Jennifer Lin, creator of The Bibliofile. Jennifer was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and share what she loves most about reading. “Reading is just a great way to be transported into the minds and ideas of other people, other places and other worlds,” she noted. “I think I read to understand the world around me.”

As far as what inspired her to create a book-based blog, Jennifer says, “I used to have a personal blog. I'd always end up with a lot of thoughts and opinions about the books I'd read, and I started posting about those books online a long, long time ago. At some point, that morphed into just a book blog since I don't like talking that much about myself anyway."

We also asked Jennifer if she could share some of her favorite books with us. “For classics, Slaughterhouse Five is just so poignant and I've always loved Kurt Vonnegut's writing style,” she noted.

“For science fiction, Good Omens is a cult classic that is hilarious and entertaining and just a fantastic book,” Jennifer says. “For contemporary fiction, The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood tells a nested story that I fell in love with when I read it."

If you’re one of those people who loves reading but can’t ever seem to find the time, Jennifer recommends making time for books. “Or listen to audiobooks,” she noted. (Personally, this is my favorite method, as I can listen to them while I’m walking or riding on the bus without getting nauseous.)

“Also, if you're ever in a reading slump, there's nothing wrong with diving into a quick page-turner,” Jennifer says. “I sometimes think people feel pressured to read thick, heavy, serious novels in order to be a ‘real’ reader or if they don't have a ton of time to read.”

“But that can burn you out on reading pretty quickly if that's all you read,” she noted. “There's nothing wrong with reading something fast and entertaining that you can polish off in a couple of hours to help renew your enthusiasm for books.”

If you’d like to hear more book recommendations from Jennifer, be sure to check out The Bibliofile!

According to WordsRated, the average American works their way through about 12.6 books per year, including ones that they’ve started but haven’t finished yet. When it comes to fully-read books, however, Americans tend to get through only 5 each year. In fact, over half of the population hasn’t even read one book in the last 12 months. It’s also not surprising that older generations tend to read more than their younger counterparts, with Boomers completing an average of 9.54 per year, and Gen Z finishing only 3.52 books.  

While it’s often challenging to find the time to read, being reminded of the benefits of reading can be a great incentive to get started today. According to the Markham Public Library, reading is a great way to pass the time because it exercises our brains. It’s a little more work than scrolling through TikTok and Instagram, and it’s better for our brains than simply staring at screens. Reading can also improve our concentration and focus, as it requires us to be present.  

Reading can also improve your quality of sleep. It’s physically relaxing, and when part of a nighttime routine, it can signal to your body that it’s time to unwind and get ready for bed. It’s also a wonderful alternative to screen time, which we all know can cause us to have trouble falling asleep. Now, you may not want to read a thriller or horror novel before bedtime, but choosing a relaxing book that won’t raise your heart rate can make it even easier to get your beauty sleep.

We hope you’re enjoying these photos of books and libraries, pandas! There’s nothing that inspires me more to crack open my next book than these beautiful pics. Keep upvoting the ones you find most satisfying, and let us know in the comments below what you’re reading right now. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article geared towards bookworms, we recommend reading this piece next!