Why Reading Books Is Worth Every Penny

“Books are so expensive!” My friend exclaimed, her voice echoing through the bookstore as she clutched a paperback, feeling betrayed by its price.

She wasn’t wrong. Books often come with hefty price tags, but the value they provide is immeasurable. Reading has the power to change your life and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

My journey began with a library card. School libraries were my first escape routes—no cost, no gatekeeping, just shelves brimming with ideas. I would pull out whatever caught my eye: dinosaurs one week, ancient myths the next and then a strange novel that left me with more questions than answers. I loved that feeling of discovery.

Later, the Central Library in Cape Town became my sanctuary. It was a vast, living archive where I wandered the aisles, finding books that challenged my thoughts, held my attention, or made me rethink everything I knew. These weren’t just pages; they were the remnants of lives lived, struggles faced and creativity unleashed.

Reading connects us to people who have experienced full, complex lives. Nelson Mandela read in prison to keep his mind sharp and his spirit intact. Barack Obama credits books with helping him govern with empathy and depth. Oprah Winfrey built a movement around reading, offering stories that reflected and elevated people's experiences. Elon Musk claimed he learned how to build rockets through reading.

They all understood something crucial: reading is not merely consumption; it is expansion.

“The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” – Dr. Seuss “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” – George R. R. Martin

Books can inspire, challenge, comfort and disrupt. They force you to slow down and offer silence when the world is loud. They ask you to pay attention—not to notifications, but to yourself.

Reading sharpens your mind, fosters empathy and enhances discernment. It invites you to wrestle with complexity, history and human nature. That kind of learning is never a waste.

The best part? You don’t need to spend a cent. Libraries remain free and apps like Libby or Borrow Box allow you to check out books digitally. There are second-hand bookstores, book swaps and friends with overflowing shelves.

So yes, while books may be expensive, reading is one of the most generous things you can do for your mind and soul. It requires time and attention, but it rewards you with perspective, vocabulary, self-awareness and imagination. It deepens your inner world, enabling you to navigate the outer one more effectively.

If you’ve been feeling restless or uninspired, perhaps what you need isn’t more noise—it’s a good book.

Reading won’t fix everything, but it will expand everything. And that’s a very good place to start.