How can I put this? I would be lost without books. Everyone read in my family of origin. You would often find one or both of my parents enjoying books in their leisure time and all my brothers were big readers. We had what was known as a children's library about a mile from our house. This small county library almost exclusively contained children's books (though there was a very small adult collection that rotated regularly). During the summer, the kids would take weekly walks to the library, carting eight books to and from (eight being the maximum you could check out). Afternoons and evenings were about finding the best place to read and doing just that. I remember realizing, while I was in college and grad school, that my recreational reading had diminished quite a bit. Of course, I read voraciously for school (I took quite a few English classes simply for the pleasure of reading and analyzing literature - English was neither my major nor my minor) but that was not the same. Once I managed to stop going to school so much, I picked back up the recreational reading habit and have not put it down since. I enjoy primarily contemporary fiction, some mysteries, lots of biographies, some historical fiction, essay and poetry collections and a wide variety of non fiction books (mostly in the social sciences). If I am ever fortunate enough to be able to retire, I know I will want to spend a good chunk of time every day simply reading the many books that are already on my "must read" list -- and I know there will be more books to add to that list!
Saturday, March 17, 2012
The Obvious
How can I put this? I would be lost without books. Everyone read in my family of origin. You would often find one or both of my parents enjoying books in their leisure time and all my brothers were big readers. We had what was known as a children's library about a mile from our house. This small county library almost exclusively contained children's books (though there was a very small adult collection that rotated regularly). During the summer, the kids would take weekly walks to the library, carting eight books to and from (eight being the maximum you could check out). Afternoons and evenings were about finding the best place to read and doing just that. I remember realizing, while I was in college and grad school, that my recreational reading had diminished quite a bit. Of course, I read voraciously for school (I took quite a few English classes simply for the pleasure of reading and analyzing literature - English was neither my major nor my minor) but that was not the same. Once I managed to stop going to school so much, I picked back up the recreational reading habit and have not put it down since. I enjoy primarily contemporary fiction, some mysteries, lots of biographies, some historical fiction, essay and poetry collections and a wide variety of non fiction books (mostly in the social sciences). If I am ever fortunate enough to be able to retire, I know I will want to spend a good chunk of time every day simply reading the many books that are already on my "must read" list -- and I know there will be more books to add to that list!
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Let's face it; without readers, where would writers be?
ReplyDeleteHey, we don't have to do verification words here. Maybe I'll just do twelveteen short comments!
ReplyDeleteYay! Was I finally successful at my months long endeavors to remove word verification? I have been investigating al the routes - did I finally find the right one?
DeleteYay! ;)
DeleteI'd like to read more--often seems that I do everything else first, and don't get to the reading part of my day. That's me, I think, putting off doing the "no value" activity, the non productive bit. I usually do the other stuff first. My priorities have always been a little off.
ReplyDeleteOh, I know exactly what you mean. I do other things and use reading as the reward. But someday there won't be other things - like working....
DeleteReading was one of my favorite, favorite things to do. Audible.com has made me lazy now. I prefer to have someone read to me. But I would like to get back to seeing the words, if I could only manage to sit still and do only one thing at a time.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed books on tape when I am driving somewhere but I don't do that much. At home, I prefer silence to anything else so reading is wonderful.
DeleteMy reading has taken a turn I would have never predicted. Since I began working up in Trinity County, with a 4 & 1/2 hour commute each way, every week, there is plenty of opportunity to listen to books on CD. Olga is quite the Saturday Morning Library buff, and, a couple times a month she brings home a variety of books that she suspects I might like. She knows me pretty well, too, I might add. The outcome is that I have read some very amazing fiction and non fiction books in the last few years. Additionally, she "dragged" me into joining a couple's book club. (Richard and Bernadette are one of the four couples) We have had a blast having dinner and discussions focused on the book of that particular session. Yes, JT, reading is fun. I too remember that children's library with some fond memories. Nice post!
ReplyDeleteWhat are some of the recent books your group has read? What have you enjoyed from that selection?
DeleteJT, here is a list of some recent selections. It usually takes us a couple of months per book, and then we switch houses for who will be dinner host. Mills (Pauline's doctor) and Suzanne Matheson, and Tom and mary Allen are the others.................we all have very different tastes!
ReplyDeleteCutting for Stone; Abraham Verghese
Four Fish; Paul Greenberg
The Highest Tide; Jim Lynch
The Other Side of the Bridge; Mary Lawsen
The Reader; Bernard Schlink
The Help; Kathryn Stockett
The Captain; Jan Hartog
Little Bee; Chris Cleave
I love to read and have eclectic tastes in books, too. I get so sad when a student tells me he/she "hates reading." How can a person take advantage of college with an attitude like that? To me, it's like saying I hate breathing.
ReplyDeleteReading brings me so much, including joy, that I can't imagine a life without it.
Your tales of going to the small-town library remind me of the itty-bitty library in the town we lived in when I was 11 and 12, population around 1000. The library was in an otherwise abandoned school building--second floor. I can remember exactly what it smelled like inside the building and inside the library particularly. I also remember that I taught myself to ride my dad's ten-speed bike with no hands that summer primarily so I could read on the way home from the library. You already know about my penchant for getting all gushy about books, though. ;)
ReplyDelete