Five things I have learned about…reading

Cathy Madavan is a self-confessed bookaholic, but here she explains why reading can be good for all of us.

When we moved house last year, the hardest thing to declutter while packing was my bookshelf. I didn’t want to part with any of my books. I wonder if you can remember the last time you were immersed in a good book? Was it fiction or non-fiction, set in modern times or ancient? Perhaps you prefer to listen to an audio book rather than turning physical pages? Obviously not everybody is a bookworm, and for some reading can be difficult. Personally, I cannot think of anything more relaxing and enjoyable than escaping into another world as I read a novel on holiday or dive into a book on a favourite subject. I’m sure the reason I now write books is because I love reading them so much. Fortunately, there are some benefits to my slight obsession, which I detail below.