At this time of year, reviews are full of writers discussing the books they have read over the previous twelve months, and they tend to get quite effusive about their favourites. And understandably so, because there is nothing quite like a good book. There is also nothing quite like sharing our experiences of books we have found delightful, instructive, or—better still—both at once. It is therefore a pity that, if reports are to be believed, we are facing a crisis in reading; what a shame for people to be missing out on so many good books. This is without even touching on works of fiction (which we do not ordinarily review here at Position Papers, our focus being non-fiction).
The phrase “clarity is charity” is commonly attributed to George Orwell. In a real sense, the work of an author can itself be an act of charity. The author who approaches a chosen subject matter— from history, current affairs, science, or biography or whatever it might be, who then submits it to a long period of serious research and reflection, and finally works hard to present his conclusions with clarity and, often, with charm, is doing a genuine service to the reader. And while I have nothing against podcasts, I do feel that in general those things that make for a good book: depth of research and precision of expression, can be very lacking in many podcasts, in particular those following the interview format.
Perhaps, then, the act of reviewing is also a work of charity. A good review offers others at least a passing acquaintance with books that—time being limited—they are likely never to manage to read for themselves. Or alternatively, it spurs the reader to buy the book and dedicate hours of their precious time to reading it. Not infrequently someone tells me that they have bought a given book on the strength of its review in Position Papers, and I’m always happy to hear that. I feel the review has done a service to both the original author and to their new reader.
So that said, I wish all our Position Papers readers plenty of happy reading in 2026.