I have always found nineteenth-century novel descriptions of people reading aloud together so charming. If I could think of a non-weird way to sell this activity to my friends I would totally do it.

It would be great if you could read a book with the healing angel! I remember at some point you were reading one of his books for English class together - The Grapes of Wrath or maybe Catcher in the Rye? Anyway, it seemed like such a good idea, and probably helped him get more out of the book than if he'd just been slogging through it for class on his own. And it would be much more fun with a book you get to choose!