Friday 16 November 2007

Reading


I love to read. If you know me you will already know this as I always have a book with me, if you have visited my home you will know that every room is stuffed to the gills with books, so stuffed that even I am beginning to feel that I am teetering on the edge of having too many books, if that is a possibility. I am a reader and I love talking about the books I have read and hearing about books my friends have loved reading. I will read almost anything, or at least give it a try and can count the number of books I have abandoned reading halfway through on the fingers of one hand. I am a reader and have been known to happily sit down and read the yellow pages or a dictionary if there was nothing else around to read. Reading is my solace, my escape, my education, my entertainment. Whatever I read has to fit my mood, sometimes I am in the mood for a piece of light and fluffy fiction, or a gruesome murder mystery, or a piece of non-fiction, it doesn't matter as long as the writing captures my attention. I am a reader. But I am not a book lover. Don't get me wrong I love books and I can't ever see myself reading through choice from a computer screen as nothing beats the sensory experience of picking up a book and feeling its weight in my hand, experiencing the colours and design of the cover and its particular aroma. I am a reader. I may appreciate the cover and binding of a book in the same way that I might admire the beautiful cup that holds my coffee or the glass that holds my wine, but you can only look for so long before taking a sip. I am a reader.

2 comments:

brunhilde said...

This reminds me of the arguments we used to have with Sandra who treated her books as holy relics! I used to try to treat my Folio books with respect, but when you read in the bath etc. etc, you can't be too fussy. I hate reading on screens, surely the book will never be replaced. Just put some books to sell on Amazon to make money for others, but it's like pulling teeth, and you just KNOW you will want them at some point in the future and regret it.

brunhilde said...

Incidentally are you enjoying Carter and the Devil? I loved that. Have you read Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon, that has a similar feel.