Why do some books stay with us, and others fade by the last page? S. P. B. Mais answers with wit, warmth, and a sharp eye for the reader's true needs. Read for pleasure, read well. First published in the era of railway libraries and evening papers, Why We Should Read is an early 20th century nonfiction plea for reading for pleasure: a classic essay collection that blends british literary essays with practical counsel. These literary criticism essays range across habits, taste, and attention, praising curiosity over snobbery and reminding us of the lasting benefits of reading. Part nonfiction guide to reading, part manifesto for literature appreciation classics, it suits the solitary browser, the dedicated annotator, and anyone returning to books after a long break. It also lends itself to classrooms and communities: a teachers students reading guide in spirit, a natural book club discussion guide for talking about what makes reading matter. For teachers, students, and collectors, it keeps the conversation alive. In its humane arguments for developing lifelong readers, Mais champions the ordinary joys that turn pages into a lifelong practice. As a public domain edition, Mais's voice arrives from a formative moment in modern reading culture, when mass literacy met serious criticism and the love of books was defended as a civic good. Republished by Alpha Editions in a careful modern edition, this volume preserves the spirit of the original while making it effortless to enjoy today - a heritage title prepared for readers and collectors alike.