Why read?

My Dad made a new year's resolution to read six books in 2010. I said, isn't that setting your sights a little low? And he said no, not considering how busy I am. Really, though, I probably should have asked, why do you have to set that as a task for yourself? Why DO you read, anyway? Isn't it supposed to be for pleasure? Or are you reading to teach yourself tedious material, for the sake of increasing your knowledge? I guess people read for different reasons, and of course I should consider differences in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, journalism, etc, but even though I sometimes find myself setting page goals or racing to get to the end of a book rather than savoring the page I'm on at the moment, I've always enjoyed it. I'm sure my Dad enjoys it too and is just so busy that he has to schedule pleasure reading to fit it in. I couldn't really put my finger on why exactly I enjoy reading, except that it's always been able to both quench and spur on a certain curiosity about the human experience. When I need some truth, like if I'm having a crisis and I hate the world, I'll usually  find the wisdom I need in a book before I find it anywhere else.

I just found this article on Zadie Smith on the NPR website. Smith is quoted: "Nowadays I know the true reason I read is to feel less alone, to make a connection with a consciousness other than my own."

I think that pretty much sums it up.