For me, a book has the ability to put me INTO the situation rather than just being an observer. I have always loved to read and actually read more than anyone that I know. I have one room of my home that is wall to wall, floor to ceiling books in aisles. My wife reads almost as much as I do so she understands my book obsession.
In hard times the books have offered me an escape from the things that were bothering me. I read EVERY day and night. I never watch TV without either a computer in my lap or a book or magazine. I have educated myself and taught myself several trades. The big thing about learning anything new is to learn the specialized vocabulary of that profession. In the hard years when jobs were scarce and hard to find I would study up on the trades that were in need and generally could get hired often over people with more experience than me.