Why I Read.

I don't know why some people are readers and others are not. I can't imagine why some people don't read. Even though I had trouble reading as a small child - I had to practice my reading out loud because I wasn't very good at it I - books always seemed a part of my life. Every Christmas we usually got a book. I still have the books down stairs. My children have read them and now I have them tucked away for the next generation. I don't remember my mom reading much. She probably didn't have the time being an active farm women, wife, mother to 3 etc. My dad read history and novels on days that were rainy or to cold to go out to work in the winter. I have always read before bed. It helps me to fall asleep. I sometimes read instead of watching TV at night and often read on a Sunday afternoon. I read to my kids endless story books when they were small. My DD reads the most (an awful lot like my sister that child is) but my boys read as well. My DH reads a variety of stuff from intellectual to mysteries. We read some of the same stuff. He tends to not read the fluffy romance stuff I sometimes read or the science fiction fantasy stuff but I tend to skip the commentaries and heavy history books. Somehow the History of the Dutch Republic is not my thing.

One of the greatest moments we both remember with fondness is the summer when all the kids could read so we all could have quiet time at the cottage. Involved in our books. (Pathetic picture of all us sitting around reading huh!)

It is not that we are not active or don't do other things. Reading is just our way of relaxing. For me it is a time when I can forget all the worries or cares of my life and live a story. The story I read comes to life for me. With really good reads I look forward to re reading the book visiting an old friend. Often when a movie is made of the story it ruins the book for me. A movie just does not contain all the story that I read. The characters are glitzed and morphed into something different. They are not the "friends" I am familiar with.

Some books I read are good reads, some bad, some I thoroughly enjoy. As a church librarian I read alot of the books I buy I buy for the library. Contrary to popular belief, I don't read them all because some just don't interest me. But I buy them because they will interest someone. A book I thoroughly enjoy someone else just doesn't get. That's OK. It is said that "Variety is the Spice of Life" As I get older my tastes change. When I was young I loved Trixie Belden's the best. On occasion I will read one for old times sake. I don't read a books full of smut. I read a book last summer that someone left at our cottage that was a good storyline but full of scenes that I wouldn't want to read. I did not need that information or pictures in my head. I don't think it is what I need to fill my head with pictures of.

So I will read many books. Some I will enjoy. Some I will share and some will end up in the recycling ....

My latest read is a book called Summer of Light by W. Dale Crammer. It is a contemporary fiction novel about a family. The dad is a steel construction worker who loses his job through a "freak" accident. His wife has a good job with benefit's. Three kids - one with special needs. They have some interesting pets and two neighbours who are opposites. Mick has to come to terms with who he was, is and could be. To me this was a good read. Humour, reality, entertainment and thought provoking. This is a book that men and women can relate too. http://www.dalecramer.com