Reading is Good for You!

Based on the belief that reading is conducive to well-being [1], The Reading Rooms facilitate an intense and personal exploration of a whole range of issues – literary and otherwise – in a particular work of fiction, shared with other people.

Reading Rooms normally come in blocks of four weekly 90-minute sessions. A brief specialized talk kick-starts each session, leading to a discussion which encourages each reader to share those thoughts that pop into the mind at the time of reading and that we so often wish we could talk about with others.

Regular weekly evening sessions are held in the aesthetically enthralling space of  Wendy J. Levy’s Contemporary Art Gallery in Didsbury, while enthusiasts of literature in Spanish meet in the quirky Sugar Junction tea rooms, in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, on Thursday mornings. Also available in the comfort of your own home, Reading Rooms create an atmosphere conducive to sharing the experience of thinking about literary works creatively and from a variety of perspectives in a small group.

The Reading Rooms seek to enhance your reading experience, embracing your own personal way of relating to the text. They constitute a space where the stresses of everyday life are replaced by relaxing but invigorating intellectual activity, creating a sense of renewed joy in creative and critical thinking that will extend to the rest of your week.

A particularly intense discussion of complex relationships and the flipside of the American Dream in Philip Roth’s American Pastoral. The Reading Rooms at Wendy J. Levy Contemporary Art Gallery.

[1] Read more about Reading for Wellbeing and the work of The Reader Organisation, whose vision is shared by The Reading Rooms.