A book on reading

I recently read a collection of essays on reading - in a book form (Pleasures of Reading?). This was by Australian writers writing on reading. There were a lot of reading ideas and inspiration and aspiration. Also, reading is perhaps generally one of the most favorite activities of any writer, so it had that love and passion in the writing as well which makes anything joyfully engaging. I literally zoomed through the essays, and came out with a long reading list. Many australian writings that I have not read before. Like in the course of this year or last, I have come across more of Patrick White (Tree of Man - which I loved, trying to read Vivisector, read Voss a long time ago), Tim Winton (read his essay somewhere and felt the language so alive and kicking that keen to read more of his essay-like prose. Read his land's edge and then a few more queued up. Bought boy behind the curtain. Between other books I read a page or two and feel the alive prose. Read his Cloudstreet long time ago), David Malouf (again, essay-like writing),  Murnane (essays mainly, couldn't read The Plains or Inland, read his short stories though), Thea Astley (I read her Drylands in almsot one go, couldn't find The Well Dressed Explorer in the library). And then many others have recommended Helen Garner. So I have between these authors and their queued up works a big aspiration list of readings.

Apart from the Australian writers, there's a lot of other writing on the aspiration list now. Some worth re-reading like Moby Dick. 

But generally I like readers writing about reading. Be it book blogs, or books, there is such joy in these writings. Sometimes it is like talking to people about books you both admire, or sometimes, it is just like gathering more material for your reading list. Generally a joyful activity.