I forgot to bring my book with me on my recent trip, big mistake, as I'm one of those people who can't sleep without reading. So off I toddled into a bookshop in one of the airports I was in during my trip. I presumed I'd get a magazine as usually the selection in the English section of many foreign bookshops can be hit and miss. But the price of the magazines was ridiculous (to me anyway), I don't need to spend between €8 and €10 to be bombarded by images of beautiful skinny women (l'd love to say I can look in the mirror but I'd be lying!) with maybe one or two decent articles in between if you are lucky. So I went over to the English section and actually managed to get an interesting book "The Plot against America" by Philip Roth.
Now I'm fairly well read with regard to World War II but not in relation to American history so I got that tingle of excitement when I looked at the cover and learnt something I didn't already know - that Charles Lindbergh was a Nazi supporter. Whilst I have read many books about World War II, I don't remember Charles Lindbergh being mentioned in any of them.
The fact that this was news to me is nothing to write home about in general and a lot of people may already know that, my point is, that's the joy of books. I love learning something I didn't know or being challenged or forced to look at things differently. It's fantastic buying a book that you want to read and hardly being able to wait to get stuck into the damned thing.
I don't have children but if you do, for God's sake get them reading, it's one of the biggest gifts you can give them. I'm so glad my Dad taught me to read at a very early age before I went to school.
I'm still only beginning to read the book as the trip was hectic and I really didn't manage to read more than a couple of lines each night but will let you know what the book is like.
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Photo:© Random House Readers Group at http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/readersgroup/
6 comments:
For someone that claims to be an aspiring writer, I totally suck at reading. I set myself a New Years resolution to read a book every month in 2006, I'm already one month behind!
LOL and when you are a parent you find precious little time to read or else you are so tired you fall asleep!
However, we are natural readers in this family in that our house is covered in books. Sadly son hasn't got the reading bug and prefers dipping into factual books whilst daughter practically reads a book in one sitting.
Now in my younger single days I used to lap up books. Especially the Virago and feminist books :-)
JL, you gotta read more - honestly it's inspiring! But that's easy for me to say when I don't have children etc. to eat into my free time.
Doris, my house is covered in books too. They are the one thing I can't throw out or give away.
I've always been a book worm, my folks read to me all the time as a kid and even now a "quiet week" will see me get through 2 books of varying descriptions.
It has to be one of the most mind expanding and eye opening things you can do by yourself!
I can honestly say as a kid I was never bored if I had access to even one book.
Its a shame kids today just don't do the reading thing.
K.
LOL - I get what you are saying Kev but the way you phrased that just cracks me up "It has to be one of the most mind expanding and eye opening things you can do by yourself"
I'm sure that there are people out there who do things that are much more eye opening all by themselves!!
Hahaha. Indeed. :-P
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