Literary reading is a research concept and interdisciplinary field investigating the cognitive, affective, and socio-cultural processes involved in engaging with literary texts. This area of study examines how readers construct meaning from complex aesthetic language, interpret narrative structures, experience emotional and empathetic responses, and are influenced by contextual factors, differentiating it from other forms of reading by its focus on aesthetic appreciation, ambiguity, and subjective engagement. Its significance lies in advancing understanding of human interpretive faculties, the unique functions of literary language, and the cultural and educational impacts of literary engagement.