Think reading means you're smart? Think again We tend to think that reading is a sign of intelligence, that we’re improved by it. But are our assumptions well-founded? Not really, according to an array of literary front-runners including Fran Lebowitz and Nick Hornby. Writer Barbara Nichol explores the assumptions we have about reading, readers and books in a three-part IDEAS series. Social Sharing CBC Radio · Posted: May 13, 2020 6:03 PM ET | Last Updated: April 30 'I have a love of the book,' Fran Lebowitz tells IDEAS. The author, humorist, essayist, and lecturer is best known for her early best-selling collections of comic essays: 'Metropolitan Life' and 'Social Studies.' (Brigitte Lacombe)