Flaubert had it that “one way of tolerating existence is to lose oneself in literature as in an unending party”．It turns out that reading doesn't only help us to tolerate existence，but actually lengthens it.

A recent study by Yale University researchers，published online in the journal Social Science & Medicine，concluded that “book readers experienced a 20 percent reduction in the risk of death over the 12 years of follow­up compared to non­readers”．

The data was obtained from the study sponsored by the National Institute on Aging.The study looked at 3,635 subjects，all older than 50，whom the researchers divided into three groups：those who didn't read books，those who read up to 3.5 hours a week and those who read more than 3.5 hours a week.

The findings were remarkable：on average，book readers survived almost two years longer than those who didn't crack open a book.The more the subjects read，the longer they lived，but as little as 30 minutes a day was still beneficial in terms of survival.

Accounting for factors such as education level，income and health status，the study found that those who read more than 3.5 hours weekly were 23 percent less likely to die during that 12­year period.Those who read up to 3.5 hours—an average of a half hour a day—were 17 percent less likely.

“In other words，just like a healthy diet and exercise，books appear to promote a significant survival advantage，” the authors concluded.

Why or how that's_the_case remains unclear；the research showed only an association between book reading and longevity，not a causal relationship.But the findings are not so surprising.Other recent research showed that reading novels appears to increase both brain connectivity and sympathy.

Some people say that we are reading less than ever. In a sense, that’s true, at least for certain forms of writing. However, you might be reading a lot more than you think.

Although printed publications (出版物) still enjoy large sales, you can read many of the same materials online. Some books, magazines and journals can be found online. Blogs and other information resources (资源) can also be easily found. There are lots of materials to read on computer screens.

Reading habits are generally measured by the number of minutes spent in reading. You can also measure these habits by the number of pages. You might think that new television channels and online games, along with the Web surfing, might make people read less. The Internet does influence reading, but the results may be a bit of a surprise.

The Internet has influenced people’s reading habits. However, the time spent in reading books for pleasure doesn’t change a lot, although people are managing to read fewer books every year. In addition, many magazines and newspapers can be read online at any time. Many publications that are weekly or monthly in print form are updated (更新) much more quickly on the Web.

There’s no doubt that online reading has changed what we read and how long we read, and now we read most things less carefully. However, when you consider how much we read, we are still doing a lot. The biggest change is that the medium that we use to read has changed.

If you’re looking for an amazing book, here are some of the best books of the year.

Cloud Cuckoo Land

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr is a historical science fiction novel. It blends elements of fantasy and science fiction with unconventional organization to create a complex world of plots relating across generations. The plot follows five main characters through three timelines. The characters all face internal and external conflict when they learn that the world is more complex than they thought in a coming-of-age plot.

Crying in H Mart

When Michelle Zauner was in her twenties, her mother’s death changed her life forever and forced her to accept her Korean American identity. Crying in H Mart extracts the facts from the human memory’s self-protective mechanism in the face of grief and gives readers a chance to relate to Zauner.

Pony

It is a historical novel that suits adolescents. It talks about a 12-year-old boy named Silas who is woken in the middle of the night to see his father being taken away by three horsemen. With only his horse named Pony by his side, Silas sets off on a life-changing mission to find his father.

You Will Get Through This Night

It is a nonfiction read about mental health that offers both a personal and professional outlook on how to get through personal struggles with depression and anxiety in the dark nights. Dividing the book into three chapters —This Night, Tomorrow, and The Days After — Daniel Howell wants readers to not just survive the dark nights but properly care about their mental health.