In "Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader," Anne Fadiman expresses her love for books and reading, emphasizing their importance in her life. She values the depth and richness that books provide, illustrating her preference for losing herself in a good read over more mundane alternatives.
However, Fadiman's humorous remark about settling for reading Water Pik instructions highlights the lengths to which she would go to engage with text, no matter how trivial. This illustrates her belief in the inherent value of reading, underscoring that any written material can offer an opportunity for engagement, even if books remain her ultimate choice.