I think most logical people understand the benefits of reading, so I'm not going to rehash that. I went a number of years only reading technical books, but I'v

I think most logical people understand the benefits of reading, so I'm not going to rehash that. I went a number of years only reading technical books, but I've been reading a lot of Project Gutenberg ebooks lately - a mixture of autobiographies, fiction, poetry, and essays. I don't read them to memorize them. I read them because they interest me. I don't seem to have any trouble remembering their content, but even if I didn't, so what? I don't envision myself looking clever, quoting Whitman and Emerson at cocktail parties. The main benefit I've received is that they are sort of a detox from the internet and other forms of media. They have a calming effect and allow me to think more clearly. It's been nice and I never realized how much I indirectly benefited from casual reading (i.e., non-technical) until I started again.