Reading Aloud to Someone You Love

Reading books aloud to each other isn’t just for kids! It has benefits for all ages.  Listening to books read aloud sharpens focus, improves reading and listening skills, increases vocabulary, and activates imagination. In fact, studies show reading aloud to adults stimulates brain activity, provides socialization and may help to lessen symptoms of dementia, Alzheimer’s, and dyslexia.

Years ago Charles and I lived in a remote part of Venezuela for several winters.  We often looked for entertainment especially in the evening or on bad weather days. Reading or drawing and painting were typically our activities of choice.

One night Charles was painting and I was reading Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I started to read aloud, and before we realized it, an hour had gone by. We finished reading that book to each other (taking turns) and spent the next few weeks reading other titles from our bookshelves.

There’s something magical and intitmate about having someone read out loud to you especially when it’s someone that you love or care a great deal about.  I especially enjoy rereading books Charles read aloud to me as I can hear his voice and it comforts me.

Why don’t you give it a try? Here are some titles:

All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr

At Home – Bill Bryson

Border Crossings – Charles Novacek

The Buddha in the Attic – Julie Otsuka

The Cat’s Pajamas – Ray Bradbury

Lincoln in the Bardo – George Saunders

The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemingway