The love of reading crosses all boundaries, appealing to people of all ages, races, genders, and walks of life. For hundreds of years, readers have opened books to learn about history or science or to discover new, imaginary worlds. Books have furnished inspiration, excitement, and relaxation. The possibilities are limitless.
Within our collections, I found visual representations of people reading from five hundred years ago on up through the modern day. A lifelong love of books and visual materials put me on the path to my job at the Library of Congress. A similar passion for the written word as well as colorfully illustrated books and graphic novels will draw tens of thousands to the Library of Congress National Book Festival this weekend here in Washington, D.C.
Witness the desire to read over the centuries through the images below, and hopefully be inspired to pick up your next book and if you are in the area, to join us at the festival!