contemporary writers to english writers, and awful lot, julian barnes is somebody, ian mcewan, i will read anything those guys right. as for my favorite authors, jane austen, two favorites. >> this is a question that stumped -- a few years ago we were arguing over a book and one of our members asked penetrating questions, why do you read? everyone was just dumbfounded. we couldn't think of the answer. we took some time but i won't give you that much time. why you read? is it to escape? learn something? and crystallize, you have an answer? >> i read because it stops me from worrying about my own problems and i get to worry about other people who are not real. >> when you did it by the book i asked if you read self-help because it wasn't necessary because everything was self-help. >> a really good story, a novel. to me it catapults me out of my own little space. i realize other people have issues and problems they are dealing with that are deeper than mine sometimes, but also i prefer worrying about other people. real or not real. >> maria. >> i read to be entertained and surprised. i l

contemporary writers to english writers, and awful lot, julian barnes is somebody, ian mcewan, i will read anything those guys right. as for my favorite authors, jane austen, two favorites. >> this is a question that stumped -- a few years ago we were arguing over a book and one of our members asked penetrating questions, why do you read? everyone was just dumbfounded. we couldn't think of the answer. we took some time but i won't give you that much time. why you read? is it to escape? learn something? and crystallize, you have an answer? >> i read because it stops me from worrying about my own problems and i get to worry about other people who are not real. >> when you did it by the book i asked if you read self-help because it wasn't necessary because everything was self-help. >> a really good story, a novel. to me it catapults me out of my own little space. i realize other people have issues and problems they are dealing with that are deeper than mine sometimes, but also i prefer worrying about other people. real or not real. >> maria. >> i read to be entertained and surprised. i l