What Books Give Us That Nothing Else Can
When I was a child, I read a book whose details I can no longer recall. But one detail left a deep impression on me: that night, I was supposed to turn off the light and go to sleep at nine, but the story was so wonderful that I kept reading until two in the morning. The next day I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open, and I ended up being late for school.
Someone once asked the famous writer Macaulay what thing in the world made him happiest. He had wealth, fame, and status. He wanted for nothing, yet he said: reading. He also told others that he would rather be a poor man living in a small attic full of books than a king who did not love reading. His words have stayed with me ever since.
Indeed, a king can give orders, but he cannot command himself to be happy. A rich man can buy almost anything, but he cannot buy peace of mind. A book may be cheap, but the knowledge inside it is anything but cheap. It allows you to have a conversation across time with someone who lived a thousand years ago. What a unique and profound experience that is. Just as words can take you where your feet cannot reach.
If you ask me when is the best time to read, my secret is: there's no need to pick a special moment. For example, you can read on the subway, during your lunch break, or before bed. Just turn the first page, and you've already begun.
In the vast ocean of books, I have read stories that moved me to tears, and stories that made me laugh out loud. Every time I close a book, I feel as if I have just returned from a different kind of journey — reading has gradually taught me to tell facts from emotions, to understand the nature of pain, and to reshape myself in the midst of chaos.
Perhaps that is what reading really means. May we all quietly heal ourselves through reading.
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在我小时候读过一本书，具体内容已经记不太清了。但有一个细节令我记忆深刻：那天晚上，我本该九点就关灯睡觉的，结果书里的内容太过精彩，我一口气读到了凌晨两点。第二天早上困得睁不开眼，导致上学迟到了……
曾经有人问著名作家麦考利，这个世界上什么事物让他最快乐。他有钱、有名望、有地位。什么都不缺的他说：读书。他还告诉别人，他宁愿做一个住在小阁楼里、堆满了书的穷人，也不愿意做一个不喜欢读书的国王。他说的话，我一直记在心里。
是啊，国王可以发号施令，却没法命令自己快乐。富人几乎什么都买得到，却买不到内心的安宁。一本书虽然便宜，但书中的知识不廉价。它能让你跟千年前的古人隔空“对话”，这是一种多么独特而深刻的体验呀。就像脚步丈量不到的地方，文字都能带你去领略。
如果你要问读书的黄金时间在什么时间最好，我的秘诀是不用刻意挑什么特别的时候。譬如：地铁上可以读，午休可以读，睡前也可以读。翻开第一页，就是开始了。
在书籍的浩瀚海洋里，我读过让我感动而落泪的书，也读过让我开怀大笑的书。每一次合上书本，都像是刚经历了一段不一样的旅程——读书逐渐让我学会分辨事实与情绪，理解痛苦的本质，并在混乱中重新塑造自己。
这或许就是读书的意义吧。愿我们都能在阅读中，悄悄治愈自己。
本期词汇
kept reading until two in the morning —— 一口气读到了凌晨两点
wanted for nothing —— 什么都不缺
his words have stayed with me —— 他的话我一直记在心里
peace of mind —— 内心的安宁
anything but cheap —— 绝不廉价
a conversation across time —— 跨越时空的对话
on the subway, during your lunch break, or before bed —— 地铁上、午休时、睡前
moved me to tears —— 让我感动落泪
laugh out loud —— 开怀大笑
heal ourselves through reading —— 在阅读中治愈自己
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