Filmmaker Mason Engel Discusses the Power of Reading

On April 9, Northfield Mount Hermon hosted documentarian and author Mason Engel on campus to speak about the transformative power of literature in our lives and pose a simple yet fundamental question to students: Why do we read?

That query forms the crux of Engel's forthcoming film, "Books Across America," in which the documentarian traveled to 50 states in 50 days, speaking with local authors at each stop about the essential role that reading plays in shaping human identity and society and the threat that censorship and book bans pose to students' access to these narratives.

During his visit to campus, Engel screened a segment from the documentary for several English classes and led students through discussions and exercises centered around the interplay between literature and life, how books help us frame our own experiences, and the impact of reading on our ability to learn and make connections.

"I think oftentimes we talk about reading in the context of 'eating your vegetables,'" Engel told students, "or we talk about the pleasure of reading. But outside of those two main approaches, I think there's another reason to read: Books help us experience things in ourselves that are sometimes hard to find examples of in real life."

Students participated in an online survey about their reading habits, which Engel plans to use to further inform his work. He’ll also team up with NMH's librarians to formulate book suggestions tailored to each student respondent. 

Following his presentation, the documentarian discussed his project and experiences on the road with students in a Q&A session, before heading up to Alumni Hall for a drop-in lunch visit.

"This particular documentary struck me because our students come from all walks of life,” said Stephanie Charlefour, NMH's library director. “The range of authors that Mason interviewed gives them someone or something they can relate to. It's another way to get them to understand and hear how valuable books are from a different perspective.”

Eavan Connelly '27 said Engel's enthusiasm for his subject matter was infectious. "It's so clear that he truly loves and believes in the power of books. That's something I really admire."

The documentary's focus serves as a complement to the efforts of NMH's English department to balance academic assignments with enjoyable reading experiences for students, she added.

"I think our English teachers really try to foster a genuine love of books," Connelly said. "We are storytelling creatures at the heart of it all, and for me, literature is the pinnacle of the storytelling experience. I've always loved reading, and as I get older I am increasingly dependent on literature to help guide my path."

Engel hopes his film serves as a sort of "tuning fork" for high schoolers to find authors and genres that resonate with them and avenues into the important lessons books can offer.

"Goal number one of the film is to interest teenagers in reading, but it's insufficient to pique the interest and then walk away," he said. "There's no greater tool to create empathy than books and reading. So, yes, we want to interest kids in books, but, ultimately, we want to help create a citizenry that is capable of understanding each other. I think if we do that, then we'll be bequeathing a much better world to the next generation."

—Max Hunt