An inspiring memoir about the art and the gift of reading, this compilation of essays shares Andrew Relph's life story via the books the author has encountered, beginning with those he read as if his life depended on it after struggling with a reading disability. From Amis to Bellow, Blake to Gallico, and Shakespeare to Woolf, these explorations ask why it is that books are so important to us and why our relationships with writers and characters can be as vital as any we form in "real life." As it studies the psychological solace of books, this narrative also introduces classic and contemporary literature guaranteed to intrigue all book lovers.