Advantages of Reading as a Hobby

It is quite clear from the title that this thread deals with reading as a hobby. Actually, I was the thread-starter. I wanted to discuss reading with people who simply can’t do without it. I wanted to speak about beneficial effects of reading. And that is why I have called it "Advantages of reading as a hobby”. But as it usually happens in on-line communities, other people influence our intentions a lot. That is why I can’t say that the thread is dedicated to positive sides of reading. It is about reading, what, how much and how.
Not so many people have participated in the forum discussion. Only those ones who find reading a really special activity. For them (or, better to say, for us) reading is a wonderful escape from the routine, an adventure and a learning experience. We are sure that it provides an opportunity for quiet, peaceful time alone and is the perfect way to relax after a busy day and various pressures of the real world. It is an activity that can be enjoyed anytime and anywhere. It is also a fantastic way to keep the mind sharp and to continually absorb knowledge. Be it fiction or non-fiction, when we read, we cannot help but learn and gain insight into ourselves.
As for the genres we prefer, nothing definite can be said. We read very different books, from light novels and detective stories to philosophical and scientific works. Modern literature deserves special attention. That’s why we name Banana Yoshimoto, Haruki Murakami and Anna Gavalda among our beloved writers. The next question I have raised is how much to read. As lovefootball) has asked, "is there any limit”? And here our opinions differ. Some of us (me included) claim that it is wonderful to read several books at one and the same period of time. These books are usually very different: their genres, the problems they solve and the language they are written in. Rina: "reading several books at the same time, you have a possibility to choose)))”. When reading several books, one gets a