#Our Reading Lives

Our Reading Lives features stories about how books and reading have shaped who we are and how we live.

Why I Only Read Romance Books On My Phone

How one reader's habit of reading romance on their phone to hide their interest in the genre became a way to honor that love.

Investigating My Teenage Obsession with the Fruits Basket Manga

When I was in middle school, Fruits Basket had a grip on me that still affects me to this day. I reread the series to figure out why.

Falling Ears Over Heels For Audiobooks

The popularity of audiobooks has been rising, and I’m tardy to the party and making up for squandered time.

On Loving and Leaving D.C., In Life and In My Reading

How one writer's reading about Washington DC changed from daydreaming about living there, to her decade in the city, to having to leave it.

Why I Read Out Loud To My Dog

People with pets often speak to them, but what about reading out loud to them? One writer makes the case on why they read to their Labrador.

How Many Times Do You Hear About a Book Before You Read or Buy It?

How many times do readers usually hear about a book before committing to read or buy it, and is exposure all that matters here?

I Don’t Want Kids, So Why Am I So Into Books About Queer Parenthood?

How can someone not want kids, but be so moved by books about parenting? One writer examines their layered feelings around the subject.

Finding a Childhood Book from a Hazy Memory: a Ghost Story

One reader describes her years-long quest to find the book of scary stories that sunk its hooks into her brain as a child.

The Weird Optimism of Novels About Doomsday Cults

How reading fiction about doomsday cults can actually be an exercise in optimism and hope. Someone has to live to tell the story, after all.

I Read Trevor Noah’s Favorite Books. Here’s What I Thought.

I read five of Trevor Noah's favorite books. Here's what I thought of them and what I learned about Trevor Noah through this experience.