Stefanie Preissner: Ignore the siren song of immediate gratification online and join me in enjoying an enriching book

"When last did you smell the musty scent of old paperbacks? Remember the smell that would hit you on entering the school library." Photo: Getty

Stefanie Preissner

When last did you smell the musty scent of old paperbacks? Remember the smell that would hit you on entering the school library; the creaky herringbone floor and the promise of adventures and whispered secrets hidden in the pages? When did you last hear the satisfying thud of a hefty hardcover hitting the table, the smooth spine begging to be broken when you got to the centre pages? Do you remember the way the perfect turn of phrase could send shivers dancing down your spine, or a character’s plight could leave you clutching the book tighter, your heart pounding in your chest?

For me, it had been over a year. I love books, adore reading and used to finish one book every single week. And then I had kids. I missed reading so much — and not just the stories, but the tactile, sensory joys of reading, that multi-faceted experience had suddenly ended. I got back into it this week and it was like coming up for air.