Introduction

We often treat reading like a solitary, innocent pastime, one that automatically makes us better people. But what if it’s not that simple? What if reading, like everything else, is shaped by power, politics, and the stories we choose not to tell? How to Read Now isn’t a manual in the traditional sense—it’s a challenge. It urges us to question not just what we read, but how we read, and who gets to define what counts as “good” or “universal.” With sharp insight and a conversational tone, author Elaine Castillo pulls back the curtain on the hidden assumptions that guide our reading habits and literary tastes. And it shows why unlearning those assumptions is just as important as the books we pick up. Now! Let's reframe of what reading actually is.

Summary

Reading isn’t just about pages and plots—it’s about presence. It’s about who we are when we approach a story, what we carry with us, and what we’re willing to let go of. When we read with awareness, humility, and curiosity, we don’t just consume stories—we learn how to live alongside them. And that changes everything.

You Are Not a Neutral Reader

It’s easy to believe that when we pick up a book, we’re opening ourselves to new worlds with an open mind. We like to think of ourselves as blank slates, free from bias, reading “objectively.” But that’s a comforting illusion. Every reader brings a lifetime of assumptions, cultural expectations, and learned perspectives into the act of reading. Whether we realize it or not, we filter every story through our personal lens. That lens shapes what we notice, what we value,...

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“Relatable” Doesn’t Mean What You Think

“Relatable” is one of the most common compliments in the world of reading. It’s also one of the most misleading. When someone calls a book “relatable,” what they usually mean is that it reflects their own experiences or emotions. They see themselves in the characters, in the setting, in the conflict. But here’s the catch: if “relatable” becomes the main filter we use to judge stories, we end up narrowing our world instead of expanding it.This plays out in subtle...

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Canon or Cage?

When we talk about the “literary canon,” we’re usually referring to a set of books deemed important, timeless, or essential—often taught in schools or praised by critics. But the canon isn’t just a collection of great works. It’s also a mirror of who held power when those works were chosen. And who was left out.It’s worth asking: why do certain books get passed down and others don’t? Who decides what gets added to a high school syllabus, what gets placed...

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Every Reading Is Political

Even when we think we’re just enjoying a story, we’re participating in a broader political act. Reading is not just about language or plot—it’s about power. Who gets to tell the story? Whose voice is trusted? Whose pain is treated as real? Which experiences are worth empathizing with? These are political questions, whether we name them or not.Every act of reading is also an act of interpretation—and interpretation is never neutral. Notice how differently we respond to similar storylines from...

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Writers of Color Don’t Owe You a Tour Guide

There’s a common assumption when reading books by writers from marginalized communities—that they should explain themselves. Define the terms. Translate the food. Offer cultural context. It’s an expectation that, consciously or not, positions the reader from the dominant culture as the default audience. The story becomes less about the experience and more about making it digestible for someone on the outside. But that’s a heavy and often unfair burden for writers to carry.Imagine reading a novel set in a small...

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More Than An Escape

It’s tempting to think of reading as a break from the world—a chance to unplug, to escape, to lose ourselves in someone else’s story. And it can be that. But reading is also something more active, something more profound. It’s a form of practice: practice in empathy, in awareness, in paying attention. It’s a rehearsal for how we move through the real world.When we engage deeply with a story, especially one that challenges our assumptions, we stretch our capacity to...

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