Column: Connect with one another with a good book Amy Wilson Sheldon/Special to the Crier We’re isolated, we’re hunkered down because of the weather – and maybe we’re a little bored too? Winter during a pandemic: It can be the pits. Our hypothetical watercoolers may be obsolete (not to mention non-sanitary), but I propose we try to bring watercooler culture back with…books. So often, we view reading as a solitary activity. Yet well into the 17th century, reading was actually a communal activity. In fact, 18th century England was a high point for the parlor “read aloud,” as greater access to current fiction led to “elocution” as a popular pastime.