Welcome To The Joys in Reading

Believe it or not, there was a time when I hated reading. I didn't see a point in it. If I wanted to know what something said, I would ask someone to read the message for me and tell me. I know now that that is a foolish thing to do (people can lie after all). It wasn't until I was in the third grade and spied a book with a young woman and a scary looking cat on the cover that I became interested in books.

I've been going to more book signings since moving to New Jersey

It might be a bit of a stretch to suggest that "Nancy Drew and the Clue of the Tapping Heels" was the book that finally got me interested in reading (I liked several books as a child, but the needed to have pictures), but it was the gateway book to many other mystery novels including the "Cat Who" books by Lillian Jackson Braun and anything related to Agatha Christie.

It also helped me to enjoy many other books my school assigned me to read. I still maintain "To Kill a Mockingbird" was the best book I read my freshmen year of high school. "Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry" is one of my all time favorite books along with it's squeals "Let the Circle Be Unbroken" and "The Road to Memphis".

My mother was the one who got me into Harry Potter. Someone recommended it to her as a great children's book. She read the first three out loud to me and my sibling. By the time the fourth book came out, I had finally started reading on my own and would steal the book the read ahead. One of my aunts found me hiding behind a chair at my grandmother's house late one night reading the fourth book.  Apparently I begged her to keep it a secret from my mom, which she did. Now that I'm older, my aunt loves to bring that story up whenever Harry Potter is mentioned.

When I went to Japan for six weeks, my aunt insisted I read as much as possible (and work on my penmanship). I found that I enjoyed "Lord of the Rings" (regardless of how much the first movie scared nine year old me) and the Lloyd Alexander books. I was encouraged to read as much as I could and to ask for help if I needed it. The only book I had a really hard time with (and have still never finished) was "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn".

Despite all of my personal struggles with reading, I found that I really enjoyed it. The struggles and feelings the characters went through were similar to what my young self was going through. I enjoyed being able to solve the mysteries well before the main character (or detective) did. Through reading I could be anyone and go anywhere. It helped me develop an active imagination.

I usually bring a book with me to the beach

Then I started reading nonfiction books.

One of the first nonfiction books that I remember liking was assigned my senior year of high school, "From Heaven Lake", and was followed by "Iron and Silk" a year later in one of my freshmen classes. Both were autobiographical accounts of people visiting China, going on a journey of self discovery.

I have since read more nonfiction books. Currently I'm reading a book about Introverts and before that one about Buzz Aldrin going to space. Nonfiction books aren't that different from Fiction books. They still tell a story and you are getting the author's point of view. Both teach the reader something (whether the reader accepts or agrees with the lessons is up to them).

Reading is very important. Most of how we communicates is through written words be they emails, blog posts on social media, or just a random meme someone texts you. They all convey a message. Some of us find them funny and others find them outrageous.

Some platforms limit you on how much you can write at any given time. Twitter is especially good at limiting the amount of text a person can use to express thoughts and arguments. Memes can help draw attention to a message, but can also limit a person's ability to see a whole picture. The message the reader needs to understand can be lost due to the limitations of the platform.

That's not to say a message needs a million words to drive a point home. Too many words can leave a reader confused or bored (like when Tolkien goes on and on for two pages about the scenery and you just want to get back to the action).

Like every good thing in life, there needs to be a balance.

I read because I love the adventure and the new points of view I am exposed to. Yes there have been books where I have screamed myself hoarse because of some stupid action the main character took (my entire junior year high school class had a lot to say about the protagonist of "Like Water for Chocolate"), but at least I understood where that character was coming from.

I'm not a mind reader (and I really hope I never become one). Reading has become just as important as listening in the age of social media. It's easy to share a post from someone you agree or disagree with. It can be harder to interpret the original author's tone (sarcasm in particular is hard to detect through written words alone).

I love reading and writing. I've learned a lot from opening up many good books. I don't always understand the world around  me, but reading other people's opinion's helps me to understand where they are coming from.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this blog (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. Now I have a book about ghosts that I hope doesn't give me nightmares tonight.