Reading exposes you to information. Learning occurs when we assimilate information, thereby enriching our base of knowledge.
That’s one definition of “smarter”.
Can reading books make you smarter?
Only if you can retain the knowledge
I believe so. I think reading can be like "maintenance exercise" for the brain.
It can, though it depends on the book; some seem like they're specifically designed to lower one's intelligence :)
I believe so. Every kid that I know who developed a love of reading books at a very young age and continued reading eagerly into their early adulthood have been highly successful in their careers. Must make them smart.
Reading certainly can increase one's knowledge base.
I'm not sure to what extent an intelligent persons who learns better visually than auditorily is more naturally inclined to read and is his preferred type of stimulation.
(Whoa---who cares...sorry, I sometimes go into research formulation accidentally)
To answer your question---yes it can make you smarter.
Yes, I think people who read a lot are not only smarter, but
they also have more general knowledge. They are more aware of past events as well as recent ones. Everyone loves different genres of
reading material. I like romantic novels. Which type of books do you
enjoy the most?