Trying to read more? Your brain will thank youTrying to read more? Your brain will thank you
All In The Mind
Reading is good for you, but fiction has added benefits. So how does reading work in the brain? Why are stories so impactful? And why, in this era of book clubs and booktok, are literacy rates not thriving? Get your votes in for Radio National's Top 100 Books Countdown before October 1st. Guests: Professor Genevieve McArthur Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy, ACU Director of Research Translation, Dyslexia SPELD Foundation Dr Lili Yu Senior Lecturer, School of Psychological Sciences Macquarie University Centre for Reading Dr Raymond Mar Professor of Psychology York University J.A. (Jess) Stevens Author, A Change of Pace Bec Jess' partner Credits: Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar Reporter/producer: Rose Kerr Senior producer: James Bullen Sound engineer: Tim Jenkins Resources: Reading Writing Hotline 1300 6 555 06 Literacy for Life Foundation Dyslexia SPELD foundation More information: More than 1 in 3 Australian adults are functionally illiterate. How can we fix this? The benefits of reading narrative fiction A chapter a day: Association of book reading with longevity What Chinese can teach us about reading Too many students have 'reading anxiety'. New research suggests it is triggered by problems in primary school Reading and associations with brain health, cognition, well-being, and mental health To explore more great episodes from the award-winning psychology podcast All in the Mind with host Sana Qadar, download the ABC Listen app (Australia) or search 'ABC All in the Mind podcast' wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more episodes on mental health, trauma, attachment theory, wellness hacks, and family relationships. You'll also hear interviews with experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross. All in the Mind is created for ABC's Radio National by specialist journalists and reporters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
29:36•25 Sept 2026
Books, Brains and Fiction: Why Reading Is a Workout for Your Mind
Episode Overview
- Reading relies on existing cognitive systems like attention, memory and language, combining how words look, sound and what they mean.
- Different writing systems, such as Chinese and English, shape eye movements and processing patterns while still allowing similar comprehension.
- Fiction reading is strongly linked with improved verbal abilities, which relate to educational and career outcomes.
- Struggling readers may internalise beliefs like “I am a bad reader”, feeding a cycle of anxiety, shame and reduced practice.
- Inclusive fiction can offer hope and validation to marginalised readers by positively reflecting queer and disabled lives.
“You can use a book for so much. You can relieve someone’s anxiety. You can take someone out of their daily grind. You can make their life a little bit more joyful.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This conversation takes a detour through bookshelves and brains, showing how picking up a novel might be one of the kindest things you can do for your mind. All In The Mind zooms in on how reading actually works upstairs.
With help from Professor Genevieve McArthur and Dr Lili Yu, you’ll hear how your brain turns “shapes on a page” into sounds, meanings and emotions, and how this process leans on attention, memory and language systems. Yu compares English, Chinese and Finnish readers, explaining why those dense Chinese characters make eyes move in different patterns even when understanding is the same.
Professor Raymond Mar highlights the special edge fiction seems to have: “fiction is a much stronger predictor of verbal abilities than nonfiction,” and those language skills link with education, work and later-life success. He also points to large studies suggesting people who read books tend to live longer and may experience slower cognitive decline, because reading keeps the mind busy and engaged. The episode also tackles the tough side of literacy.
McArthur explains that struggling readers often think, “I am a bad reader,” which can spiral into anxiety, shame and less practice. With nearly half of Australian adults described as functionally illiterate in one survey, the stakes go well beyond book clubs. Author J.A. (Jess) Stevens and her fiancée Bec bring the emotional heart.
Jess’s queer, disability-inclusive regency romance grew from frustration that her trans partner and her daughter with Down syndrome “can’t just pick up a book and readily see themselves reflected in it positively.” Bec describes the book as “a beacon of hope,” while Jess reminds us, “You can use a book for so much.
You can relieve someone’s anxiety… You can make their life a little bit more joyful.” If you’ve been meaning to read more, this gentle, science-rich chat might be the nudge your brain’s been waiting for—what story will you reach for next?
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