Apr 18, 2011

Easter Reading

Reading - Girl Missing, Tess Gerritsen
Listening to - my DB doing the dishes for me so I can write this.

Easter is nearly here and we have friends coming to stay so they can escape the shaky ground of Christchurch for a few days. For me Easter is about family and friends, chocolate of course, and reading a good book.

Unfortunately I won't be reading at all this year. My girlfriend does not read. I find this so hard to accept. How can anyone not want to curl up with a great story and escape the mundane things of everyday life? I've tried telling her what she's missing out on but not a spark of interest. We'll have fun talking nonstop all weekend.

When I think about it, I know a few people who are not readers. Does this stem from a childhood where stories were not read to them by parents or siblings? Or did their schools fail them? Then again I guess some people are just not into it, they've got too many other things that draw their attention. But they are missing out on so much.

One of my enduring memories of childhood is of mum, dad, my brother and myself sitting reading books after dinner, music playing in the background. My parents fostered my love of reading, and my dad encouraged my writing. We went to the library every Friday night. I cannot imagine life without books. The first thing I pack for any trip be it for one night or a month is at least two books. What would I do if I only had one and it turned out to be a looser?

Who helped you get started with reading? Does it come naturally to some of us? All I can say is thank goodness I discovered it at a very early age.

11 comments:

  1. Sue
    I couldn't imagine not reading either my Mum always read and I think this is what got me reading from a very early age I have 3 sisters 2 of them read maybe not quite as much as me but they do love reading my other sister will occaisionally pick up a book but very rarely I have 3 daughters who all read but alas my Son only ever reads the newspaper LOL and my hubby never reads either but for me life wouldn't be normal without a healthy TBR pile on the bookshelf and on the e reader.
    Have a happy Easter
    Have Fun
    Helen

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  2. Helen, my husband doesn't read either. Nothing. His mother read a lot and was a teacher so don't know what happened there. But then I rarely watch TV. We are chalk and cheese.

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  3. Sue, I remember visits to the library as a child too - to my little eyes, the books seemed to go on forever! I remember being particularly fond of Beatrix Potter books - they had stories about animals and they were a good size for my hands.

    When I was a little older and on caravan holidays, my mother would take us into town and we could buy one book each. Oh, the excitement! We would also get books as birthday and Christmas presents so I was always destined to be a big reader. :)

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  4. Rachel, I remember getting books for birthdays and Christmas's too. And I'd do odd jobs around the area to earn money for more books. Enid Blyton's famous Five and The Scret Seven were big hits.

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  5. Sue

    That made me laugh My hubby watches heaps of TV and I don't watch it at all I would much rather read

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  6. Sue, I've always loved reading and it's probably thanks to my parents who were both avid readers. I can't imagine not wanting to dive into a good book! But there are people out there who don't read which means they don't have shelves of books. Homes with no bookshelves don't seem quite right to me.

    Enjoy your talkfest at Easter!

    :)
    Sharon

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  7. Sue I absolutely devoured books when I was younger, if it had an animal in it, i'd read it! My husband reads every night before bed - well I often find him with a book still in hand and sound asleep LOL. My eldest daughter finds reading a chore, my second eldest loves reading and collecting books for her groaning shelf. Think my youngest will love books too =)

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  8. I have always loved reading and my siblings do as well. My husband reads cookbooks and cooking magazines mainly. We don't have kids but have lots of nieces and nephews and they have quite a few kids. Some of them read and some of them don't. My mom was the only one who read romance as much as I do. I can't imagine not having books to read.

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  9. Sharon, I know what you mean about homes without bookcases. The friends who coming up this week don't have one at all and I've got five. Then there are all the books in storage. Oh well, got to have some foibles I suppose.
    So Mel, reading must be something that's in the blood. Each of your children approach it differently.
    Have a great Easter, everyone.

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  10. Sue, I can't remember not being able to read... and the thought of a world without books is inconceivable to me. My mum has always been a big reader (of romance) but my dad doesn't read anything except the paper (and junk mail -- he's addicted to that :-) ). I guess it's a case of different strokes etc. But like you I can't help feeling that the non-readers out there are missing out.

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  11. Sue, I so totally identify with having books at the top of my list whenever I go *anywhere*. I hate to feel as if I'm missing out on a reading opportunity.

    None of my immediate family are real readers. But I have an aunt and a niece who love books as much as I do, so maybe the book bug has zigzagged down my family tree.

    I'm just on to my 9yo this morning to get out a book. She loves once she starts reading but the TV always seems an easy alternative. And I guess there is a Buffyfest on this weekend... =)

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