Online education, smartphones, and generative AI have dramatically changed what and how we read. Amid this backdrop of changing media and habits, this book addresses the question: What do we know about the cognitive benefits of reading? And how might this change in a digital age? Presenting a synthesis of research spanning psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, and education, it offers a clear and accessible account of how reading transforms the human mind and brain. It demonstrates the profound cognitive enhancements on memory, attention, language processing, reasoning, and intellectual growth resulting from reading, beyond knowledge acquisition. This is an essential guide for students, educators, and researchers alike interested in the science of reading.

‘For the first time, the various ways in which reading benefits the development of cognitive skills, including some unexpected ones such as face recognition, are brought together in such a comprehensible and authoritative way by one of the main players in this research field. Also, it is fun to read.’

Denis Drieghe - Professor in Experimental Psychology, University of Southampton

‘What are the benefits of being literate and engaging in reading? As it turns out, there are many! Huettig provides a compelling and comprehensive review of these benefits, underscoring the importance of literacy and reading education. This book is a must for anyone interested in education or cognitive science.’

Erik D. Reichle - author of Computational Models of Reading

‘This book is a highly original essay on the science of reading, clearly distinguishing itself from the classic texts on the topic. I congratulate the author for having undertaken such a daunting task and having done so with great success while adopting an accessible and engaging style of writing.’

Jonathan Grainger - Emeritus Research Professor, Center for Research on Psychology and Neuroscience, CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, France

‘Dr. Huettig catalogues the tectonic shift in world history triggered by the invention of the printing press and the spread of literacy - the ability to record, retain, transmit, and later read information and knowledge across time and space facilitates literally all aspects of our modern life. In short, the medium of written language became inextricably interwoven with the message that language conveyed. Then he deftly refocuses his lens from the ways literacy transformed the world to how literacy transforms individuals - specifically, their brains. Being a reader - and even better, an avid reader - improves one’s memory, language, reasoning, and general intelligence. Dr. Huettig marshals a wide array of scientific evidence to support the robustness of these improvements. In short, the literate mind is an enhanced mind. This is a must-read for everyone who is invested in advancing literacy and opposing the onset of a ‘post-literate’ world.’

Kiel Christianson - Professor & Chair, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

‘By skillfully blending observations from the past with state-of-the-art science, Huettig reminds us that reading is an epic achievement, and one that changes brains and minds, cultures and societies. Thoughtful, engaging, and a must-read for all those who think about the gift of reading and who wonder, like Huettig, what the future for literacy might be.’

Kate Nation - Professor of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford