Reading usually precedes writing. And the impulse to write is almost always fired by reading. Reading, the love of reading, is what makes you dream of becoming a writer. And, long after you’ve become a writer, reading books others write–and rereading the beloved books of the past–constitutes an irresistible distraction from writing. Distraction. Consolation. Torment. And yes, inspiration.
on reading
Long Winter Night by Ryokan
I remember when I was young
reading alone in an empty hall,
again and again refilling the lamp with oil,
never minding then how long the winter night was.
translated by Hiroaki Sato & Burton Watson
on reading books by Ezra Pound
“No man understands a deep book until he has seen and lived at least part of its contents.”
Leonard Durso 