I have always been a voracious reader. If I had a scanner I would show you a photo of me at about age 6, lying on the pink rug in my bedroom, reading. Though the rug, thankfully, was later replaced with another less pink one, the overwhelming memory from childhood involves reading, usually on my bed and with three or four cats in attendance.
In fact, I don’t remember a time when I couldn’t read.
As an adult my reading habits have been affected by the appearance of the small time-sucking beings who seem to demand food and other attention regularly. As a result, I read much less than I once did, which almost makes the impact of what I do read all the greater.
Years ago I developed a theory that I was being somehow guided, receiving an education of sorts, from the books I read. Without exception my books were chosen in a library and I allowed them to fall off the shelf into my awaiting arms, certain that whatever books I was drawn to were indeed the “right” ones to read. With only a few exceptions, I’ve been right about this.
Sometimes the themes were about various cultures as I worked my way through the modern fiction of India, for instance, or China. I am still fascinated by both places and they hold deep resonance for me. Rarely do I read bestselling fiction, preferring instead to prowl the stacks in the pursuit of something different.
But always I could draw a line that connected the dots between one selection and the next; my reading always went in themes and always seemed to hold resonance with whatever was going on in my life at the time.
Some books are so compelling that I find myself living them, absorbing them, even dreaming within their worlds. I have to choose carefully now because I have become quite sensitive to falling into the worlds created within the pages. They permeate everything and transform me.
This concept would be a little disturbing if I wasn’t also convinced that it is me doing the guiding, me just happening to “run across” a particular book, me providing myself with an education of sorts.
I’m looking around now for something to read as it’s been awhile since I had the luxury of immersing myself in a book. I wonder what’s next in this journey?
September 7th, 2007 at 2:25 am
Have you read Life of Pi? I cannot get thru the gruesomeness!! and everyone keeps telling me I will love it …..I just find I don’t have the energy to get so upset and invested when my life takes so much energy to just breathe through. My sensitivity is such a blessing in so many ways, I chose it at one point….and yet sometimes it feels like it is just too much….
I dream about them too, get sad when it all ends and learn sooooooo much. I just started an intruiging old fashioned kind of book with amazing writing and language…The Thirteenth Tale….
We had a lot of books in common on our lists….any good reccomends?
September 7th, 2007 at 10:16 am
Seriously, this is weird. I just wrote about this with the books and all… only I read more chick lit & bestsellers, because reading is my escape from reality.
I did read The Thirteenth Tale and it was beautiful, though -I recommend that one!
September 7th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
I highly recommend ‘Aztec’ by Gary Jennings, ‘Aztec Autumn’ by Gary Jennings, ‘Aztec Blood’ by Gary Jennings (sort of, and some other guy who finished his book when he died) and ‘The Journeyer’ by gasp! Gary Jennings. Incredibly good books. The Journeyer is a book about Marco Polo’s life (kind of) it is historical fiction. In my opinion, you haven’t lived until you’ve read these books. And all the Calvin and Hobbes collection.
September 7th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
I’m a book-a-holic, too. I learned how to read when I was three and have loved books all my life, but don’t have enough time to read nowadays. (Or then I just spend most my time doing something else.) I work in book publishing but for the moment I do more PR than editing.
Karoliina
September 7th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
PS. I have all the Amy Tan books, too.
September 7th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
Amy Tan books, good reads. ‘Geisha-A life’ is a true story, good book. Forgot the author name. And also ‘The Good Women of China: Hidden Voices’ Xinran Xue. Made me cry.
September 7th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Eats, Shoots and leaves reminded me of richard lederer. writes about grammar gaffes. written and spoken. very funny.
September 7th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Oo, talk about books to people who read blogs! You people rock!
I love how Amy Tan weaves a story, and I just gave Eats, Shoots, and Leaves to Nathaniel. I’ll have to look into the Gary Jennings, as I love me some historical novels. The whole Aztec era scares me a bit though…
September 7th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
I was going to recommend the Geisha book I really enjoyed it too. I also enjoyed Memoirs of A Geisha the book. The movie was good also but the book was wonderful. I received some very old Reader’s Digest condensed books. I really like some of the stories and you don’t know what you are going to get. Plus I can put them down and pick right up again.
September 8th, 2007 at 1:50 am
Oh god, books. This is gonna sound silly, but I dropped out of high school because of books. I couldn’t put them down.
Then it was Steinbeck and Lee and Fitzgerald and Hemingway. And Steven King. Now if I get the time to read the TV Guide I’m pretty happy. I still re-read the Grapes of Wrath every other year, but now I find myself drawn to more non-fiction. Try Haven Kimmel. You will not be disappointed.
Mike
September 12th, 2007 at 11:24 am
lightspring:
Don’t be afraid of the Aztec era. It is all very interesting. Although I do have to say you have to have a certain appreciation for that culture, Gary Jennings, and/or historical fiction to enjoy that book. But it is definitely worth the read. It’s the kind of book that wraps you up and takes you there and you can barely put it down. My mother read that book when she was in college (she was born in ’50) and would read into the wee hours of the morning until she finally finished it. Drove Dad crazy. I thought that impossible until i picked it up. I did the same thing. When i was in high school all i did was schoolwork and read that book. No socializing. Even through lunch. I hurried up and ate and read that book. I even read while eating. Books like that were my frequent flyer miles. I could go anywhere when I read. *sigh* those were the days.
Dawn:
Memoirs was a phenomenal book. The movie didnt do it a bit of justice. Not one bit. But i did enjoy watching it. Reading is always better, though. As im sure all will agree.