“But while reading, his eyes glanced over the pages, and his heart searched out the sense, but his voice and tongue were silent. Ofttimes, when we had come (for no one was forbidden to enter, nor was it his custom that the arrival of those who came should be announced to him), we saw him thus reading to himself, and never otherwise.”
Why Not Just Watch TV?
As philosophy professor John Cuddeback explains, we need rich and authentic activities to be truly present with others and build human connection. He considers reading aloud in a small group to be a rich activity, and he contrasts it with shallower activity like watching TV or videos. Mr. Cuddeback notes that when we read aloud together, we face, look at, and listen to one another. Yet, when we watch TV, we all stare away from each other at a screen in a dark room.This physical orientation reflects what’s happening psychologically, too: in the first scenario, we build connections with one another as we actively participate in our leisure activity, while in the second scenario we passively consume prepackaged “entertainment” in isolation. We don’t look at each other or share the same depth of togetherness.
Reading aloud sparks the human capacity for rationality in a social way. “Thinking together is the richest way of being together as humans,” Mr. Cuddeback reflects. Thinking, in this context, includes any deep engagement with our rationality, such as following an essayist’s train of thought or a novel’s story. Moreover, he points out that reading together flows naturally and effortlessly into discussing together, a powerful form of “thinking together.”
Mr. Cuddeback says, “we’ve lost a lot of the customs and ... common practices of how to be together rationally.” This is a tragedy because few actions are more rewarding than delighting with others in a beautiful piece of captivating writing, then sharing insights through deep conversation.
My wife and I recently began a biweekly “poetry night” with another couple. At each session, we bring an essay, short story, or poem to read out loud. The process has completely removed the difficulty of knowing what to talk about: conversation, ignited by the text, roars to life naturally—and it’s conversation about things that matter, not just mere small talk.
How to Get Started
You can start a read-aloud group easily enough. Simply find an essay, poem, news article, or short story that can be read in an hour or less (keep it on the shorter end for the first session), and then invite friends or family members for informal reading and discussion. I recommend preparing drinks and snacks to add to the festive atmosphere.Choosing a Text
Of course, some works lend themselves better to read-alouds and discussions than others. I’ve already mentioned the importance of considering length. Most people—especially if they aren’t use to a read-aloud group—will not want to sit through a three-hour short story. But even more important is the quality of the piece chosen.- Poems by William Shakespeare, John Donne, John Keats, Alfred Tennyson, William Wordsworth, George Gordon Byron, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Emily Dickinson, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Robert Frost, T.S. Eliot
- Essays and short stories by G.K. Chesterton, Edgar Allen Poe, Wendell Berry, Flannery O’Connor, C.S. Lewis
- Recommended individual works: “Apology” by Plato, “Joyas Voladoras” by Brian Doyle, “Leaf by Niggle” by J.R.R. Tolkien, chapters from “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek” by Annie Dillard
- Key passages or chapters from other full-length works.
- If you have a dedicated group meeting regularly, you might consider reading a full-length work in sections.
Reading Well
Reading out loud well is an art, not unlike acting, and it takes practice. Prioritize clarity, first of all. This means enunciating, speaking loudly enough, and setting an appropriate pace. In addition, try to read with variation in your tone, pace, and volume. Variation gives the reading life and keeps listeners listening. Include pauses at key moments. Let the words have space when they need them. Above all, try to enter into the spirit of the work and read with drama and emphasis.Launching Discussion
There’s value in reading great works of literature even if you don’t discuss them afterwards. But, it’s likely that your group will have plenty of thoughts and emotions to express after reading, and this will glide smoothly and organically into discussion of the work. You might consider prepare a few discussion questions ahead of time to launch the discussion. Be genuine with the questions, emphasizing ones that you can’t answer and ones you’re curious to hear others’ perspectives on.Allow pauses for people to think about what they want to say. It can be tempting, if you’re trying to lead discussion, to want to fill every millisecond of empty air, but that’s not necessary, and the pauses will feel longer to you than to everyone else.
Most importantly, allow things to develop organically as much as possible. Don’t be too structured. If you’ve selected a great text, the conversation will only need a little push and you’ll be amazed where it leads. Read-aloud circles offer you and your loved ones the opportunity to encounter great ideas and discover how they connect to your own life. Best of all, you’ll be exploring these ideas with people you care about. The pursuit of truth and beauty is one of the best adventures you can share.