I admit I find it hard to justify reading fiction. I absolutely love fiction, and if I lived a reclusive life on a beautiful farm in some Wendell Berry fantasy, I would probably spend my days reading nothing but fiction. But in the real world, I find whatever free reading time I have goes to the mountain of nonfiction books on my shelf. They feel more important. With limited time and a world of knowledge still to know, isn’t it wise to prioritize nonfiction books over novels and works of the imagination?

Not necessarily, argues Jessica Wilson Hooten (author of the award-winning Giving the Devil His Due). Her recent essay for TGC, featured below, was a helpful reminder to me as I begin my 2019 reading year. Literature trains the moral imagination and acts upon the soul in unique ways, Hooten writes. And we shouldn’t assume fiction means “false” or imagination means “illusion.” On the contrary, made-up stories can sometimes reveal dimensions of reality in ways nonfiction cannot. Hooten’s article has inspired me to read at least one fiction book for every two nonfiction books in 2019. Perhaps you’ll consider doing the same.