The countless benefits of reading books

The number of book readers has been declining in the past years almost everywhere in the
world. The economic crisis on one side and the rising of new technologies on the other had
an impact on the print books market. Fewer and fewer consumers are buying and reading
books. Reading, however, is a very important activity for both the mind and the psyche.
Reading a few pages of a book or article in a newspaper or magazine every day brings many
benefits, the following are only a few.

1. Fitness for the brain

Like the muscles in your body, brain must be stimulated and kept in training. Reading is the
best way to do so as it keeps the mind active and prevents or slows down the progress of
diseases like Alzheimer or Dementia.
2. Stress Relief
Immerse yourself in a good book allows you to switch off and get away from your daily life.
A well-written novel can transport you to ancient times and distant places, helping you to
distract and to lighten the tension.
3. Culture and Knowledge
Everything you read remains imprinted in your minds, letting you gain information and
knowledge that will be useful sooner or later.

4. Vocabulary
On average, a person uses about 20% of the vocabulary of his/her language. This
percentage increases for strong readers that enrich their linguistic register with new words.
Knowing how to speak properly and articulated is a great advantage in any profession and
improves self-confidence and self-esteem.
Reading books is also a great support in learning a foreign language, as it helps to
understand the meaning of the words used in context and to improve writing skills.
5. Memory
When you read a book, you have to remember a number of characters and plot elements.
Exercising the memory means to create new synapses and strengthen existing ones, which
are essential to short-term memory.
6. Capacity of analysis and reasoning
Reading a book by Agatha Christie and solving the mystery before the end of the novel
means to exercise and improve analytical skills, reasoning and attention to detail. How
important are these skills in everyday life and work?
7. Ability to focus and concentration
Internet has accustomed us to read rather superficially, while we are distracted doing a
tons of other things. Reading a book, on the contrary, entirely absorbs our attention and
requires us to focus solely on what we are reading.
8. Writing Skills
In order to write well, you have to read. Reading texts of good quality, with a rich and
varied vocabulary, improves writing skills significantly.
9. Tranquility
Reading gives a sense of peace and tranquility and helps dominating anxiety or bad mood.
Some books can help overcome difficult moments or transmit meaningful messages that
encourage self-improvement.
10. Low cost entertainment
Compared to many other forms of entertainment, reading is rather low-cost and can be
done at any place or time. You can buy used books, trade them with friends or borrow
them from the library.
Reading, in short, is a blessing for the mind and psyche. Despite the crisis of print
publishing and the widespread of e-books, the book does not seem destined to go down.
Books are significant objects with which we establish an emotional connection and with
which we identify. The volumes that we keep in the house, on the bedside table, and on
the bookshelves tell a lot about us, our passions, our tastes and our culture. The houses full
of books are warm, welcoming and full of personality, especially if the libraries that contain
them are beautiful and with an original design.

A bookcase that breaks the rules and is out of the ordinary is Random Bookcase created by
Neuland Industriedesign for italian manifacturer MDF Italia. As described on Dmagazine,
Random is a original, versatile and dynamic bookcase that doesnt go unnoticed and that
indeed has a strong visual impact given by the different width and height of the shelves.
As seen on Stylepark, Random Bookcase by MDF Italia, with its light and thin design, has
been defined a sculpure-bookcase conceived as a work of industrial art, in which the
functionality and convenience of a storage unit coexist with fine aesthetics.

As for the specifications, the Random Bookcase by MDF Italia is composed by fiberboard
panels, medium density wood painted in white or black microembossed, and by back in
melamine. The shelves can be inserted into the backs through concealed slots at different
pre-defined heights, creating different compartments. The feet are adjustable, and the
library is designed for wall mounting. A white-lacquered shim element in depth for the
complanar flanking of Random with Random Cabinet and Random Box is available.
With these new modules, Random is a multifunctional wall system that allows great
freedom of composition and provides the possibility of creating a tailor-made bookcase
that reflects ones personal aesthetic preferences and space needs.