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Bestselling author Will Schwalbe´s new book about books. An exploration of how reading guides us, comforts us and helps us make sense of the world and our place in it, through books as diverse as The Girl on the Train , The Little Prince and Reading Lolita in Tehran .

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From the author of the best-selling The End of Your Life Book Club, an inspiring and magical exploration of the power of books to shape our lives in an era of constant connectivity.

´I´m on a search and have been all my life: to find books to help me make sense of the world, to help me become a better person, to help me get my head around the big questions that I have, and figure out the answers to some of the small ones while I´m at it´ Will Schwalbe

Why is it that we read? Is it to pass time? To learn something new? To escape into another reality?
For Will Schwalbe, reading is a way to entertain himself but also to make sense of the world, to become a better person, and to find the answers to the big (and small) questions about how to live his life. In this delightful celebration of reading, Schwalbe invites us along on his quest for books that speak to the specific challenges of living in our modern world, with all its noise and distractions.
In each chapter, he discusses a particular book-what brought him to it (or vice versa), the people in his life he associates with it, and how it became a part of his understanding of himself in the world. These books span centuries and genres (from classic works of adult and children´s literature to contemporary thrillers and even a cookbook), and each one relates to the questions and concerns we all share. Throughout, Schwalbe focuses on the way certain books can help us honour those we´ve loved and lost, and also figure out how to live each day more fully.
Rich with stories and recommendations, Books for Living is a treasure for everyone who loves books and loves to hear the answer to the question: "What are you reading?"

Books covered include:
David Copperfield
Rebecca
Stuart Little
The Importance of Living
Giovanni´s Room
Bird by Bird
The Girl On The Train

´I used to say that the greatest gift you could ever give anyone is a book. But I don´t say that anymore because I no longer think it´s true. I now say that a book is the second greatest gift. I´ve come to believe that the greatest gift you can give anyone is to take the time to talk with someone about a book you´ve shared. A book is a great gift; the gift of your interest and attention is even greater´ Will Schwalbe

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a life-enhancing celebration of the power of books and reading, very much in the vein of Tuesdays with Morrie Independent

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