We read because of the chance that tomorrow we might choose a book from a shelf, open it, and feel a connection that transcends the barriers of generations and continents and lets us stare into the soul of someone we’ve never met, and maybe never could meet. Through story, we humans make attempts, several times a day, to connect with one another. Through story, we convince ourselves that our experiences of the world are not nearly as different as they appear. —Anthony Doerr, “The Sword of of Damocles” (Writer’s Notebook II)
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