The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction

I was given this book by Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review.

Today's non-fiction post is on The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction by Meghan Cox Gurdon. It is 304 pages long and is published by Harper Collins. The cover is beige with books on it as the only color on the cover. The intended reader is someone who is interested in non-fiction. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A Wall Street Journal writer’s conversation-changing look at how reading aloud makes adults and children smarter, happier, healthier, more successful and more closely attached, even as technology pulls in the other direction.
A miraculous alchemy occurs when one person reads to another, transforming the simple stuff of a book, a voice, and a bit of time into complex and powerful fuel for the heart, brain, and imagination. Grounded in the latest neuroscience and behavioral research, and drawing widely from literature, The Enchanted Hour explains the dazzling cognitive and social-emotional benefits that await children, whatever their class, nationality or family background. But it’s not just about bedtime stories for little kids: Reading aloud consoles, uplifts and invigorates at every age, deepening the intellectual lives and emotional well-being of teenagers and adults, too.
Meghan Cox Gurdon argues that this ancient practice is a fast-working antidote to the fractured attention spans, atomized families and unfulfilling ephemera of the tech era, helping to replenish what our devices are leaching away. For everyone, reading aloud engages the mind in complex narratives; for children, it’s an irreplaceable gift that builds vocabulary, fosters imagination, and kindles a lifelong appreciation of language, stories and pictures.
Bringing together the latest scientific research, practical tips, and reading recommendations, The Enchanted Hour will both charm and galvanize, inspiring readers to share this invaluable, life-altering tradition with the people they love most.

Review- An interesting and informative read about what reading does for and to the brain. Gurdon gives many examples from her person life and to many studies done at different universities. She handles the information without getting over-whelming the reader. The writing is very good with lots of interesting stories from any different individuals in different stages of life. Gurdon does spend most of the book with the younger children in mind and what is going on in their brains and what reading together out aloud is doing for the brain. She does touch on reading aloud in later life and how powerful it still is especially for people who are during some kind of trauma. It was a very good read with lots if information and I really had a good time reading it but not aloud. If you interested in brain science this you should read this.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars.