Saturday, April 2, 2011

B.....is for Books, Books....everywhere

.......and not enough time to read them all.

I have had a love affair with books my entire life. My mom told me that I used to sit on the floor when I was just a toddler and carefully look at magazines....not even wrinkling a single page. One day my grandmother saw me looking at a picture in a magazine that she thought was not age appropriate. Back then, it sure could not have been anything racy but, nevertheless, she bent down and ripped the page out of the magazine right before my terrified eyes. Mom said I was heart-broken! She related that I cried and cried for what seemed like hours. So my love of books, magazines and pictures has been around since before I can even remember.

I once had a sweatshirt that read "So many books, so little time" and it stated exactly how I felt. One year when I was in my teens, my mom had a birthday cake made for me. It looked like an open book, much like the picture in this post. On it she had written "Oh give me a good book to read and let the rest of the world go by". Yes, my mom sure did know me. But then, I inherited my love of books from her.

I probably own over 500 books....maybe more. All but a handful are hardcover. I have two stacks of books in my guest room that are each four feet tall. These are the books that are waiting patiently for me to take one in my hands and become friends with it and the joys it holds inside its covers. And, yes....it seems like there is "too little time". Every time I get the stacks reduced a bit, I add more to them because new books have come out that I just MUST read.

I love the feel of a book in my hands and the smell of a brand new book. I will often just open one up and bury my nose in it and inhale deeply. I know this all sounds crazy.....but this is just a little bit of my personality. However, I do own a Kindle. I like the convenience of throwing it in my purse and always being ready to start reading. It will never replace an actual book for me, but I've grown rather fond of the convenience. Good grief.....a Kindle can hold over 3,500 books....or so I'm told anyway. I have about 15 on mine right now. Its also quite common for me to have several books going at the same time. I think the most I've had going at once has been 3.

My son does not read books at all. He's missing so much. My daughter will read voraciously when she's in the mood. She devoured the entire set of Philippa Gregory's Boleyn series in just a few weeks. My grandson is a reader but doesn't read too often. Hopefully, my granddaughter will enjoy reading enough to do it often.

So I am very grateful to all the authors out there......for, without them, we would have no books to enjoy. With them you can escape anywhere in (or out of) the world. Anywhere your heart desires and never leave the comfort of your living room.

Right now I'm reading The Passage, which is can't-put-it-down terrific........ and on my Kindle, Torn the second part of the Trylle Trilogy. which is just a fun- easy reading fantasy story, but it does hold your attention.

Thank you to those of you who welcomed me to "The Challenge". I hope I can follow through. I, too, am looking forward to reading new blogs and meeting new people so I can add you to my list of awesome bloggers that I've come to know and love. Thank you again for your warm welcomes! Enjoy the weekend and find joy in the fact that Spring represents new life and that can also be interpreted to mean, "A new look on life". Keep smilin'.

17 comments:

Rae said...

I really enjoyed this post. As a book lover I understand your sentiments. There is nothing quite as comforting as reading a good book.

Anonymous said...

I love a book. A hardcover book. I've read a lot of paperbacks that I had to force myself to finish, but I've never met a hardcover than I didn't enjoy. So much of it is the tactile feel, the weight, the smell, the pleasure of holding it in my hands. That's why I'll never own a Kindle. I might not always know what I like, but I'm always sure of what I DON'T like, and holding a piece of plastic with a light behind the screen is NOT a book.

p.s. Your grandma was a hard-ass.

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

Val, I was afraid you were going to say your eyes weren't letting you read. Whew! I love books too. Gotta give some away so I can make room for new ones!

Josie Two Shoes said...

You often say that you can relate to the posts I write, but you could have written this one for me!! I too, was in love with books long before I could read, and that love affair continues to this day. I grow frustrated with the lack of time to curl up with a good book as I once did, and manage to squeeze in a chapter or two during lunch breaks at work... when I get them. Ahh, how can we invent 30 hour days, along with the energy to sustain them? Reading has expanded my life in more ways than I can say, and it has provided solace and escape when I most needed that too. Thank you for telling others exactly what this love is like... great post!!!
~Josie Two Shoes~
Two Shoes In Texas 
Monday Memories
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Words In Motion

Margaret Hall said...

Happy Saturday to ya', Val...Books, you know I used to be that way with magazines, too, and then to books and was annoyed when people wrote on the front page..Grrrr...But, unfortunately, I have "back-slid" in my reading and should be better as my bookworm friends state! My DIL has a Kindle, loves it! My good friend who is a book lover, over 400, does not want a Kindle, as she says it takes away from that "touch" of the book..I am glad that your eyesight is improving so that you can still enjoy~!! Good posting for "B". See you soon!'
http://timeforabucketlist.blogspot.com/
http://imagesinthought.blogspot.com/
http://the-old-story-tree.blogspot.com/
http://bagladythoughts.blogspot.com/

Mikey said...

Yep, you're not the only one. I've culled my books WAY down, but I still keep my favorites, books I'll read more than once. I could sit and read all day if given the opportunity. I know exactly what you're saying :)

Forsythia said...

I love books, too. When I was a kid, I was known for always having my "nose in a book." What a great day it was when I got my own library card. The library was within walking distance and the librarians were very friendly to the neighborhood kids, always willing to suggest a good book.

Orea said...

I am a book lover, too, as are both of my grown kids. But my son takes a harder stance on book respect than I do. apparently. I have gotten numerous lectures over the years about my habits of dogearing pages and highlighting and underlining passages I want to find again. We're not talking library books, but my own copies! Who knows, maybe when I die, I'll be sent to some special place to punish those who mistreat their books, and my son will say, "I told you so!" LOL

Orea
http://orea-highervoice.blogspot.com/

gayle said...

I'm a book lover too! Haven't been reading much lately....spending to much time on my computer!

Jamie said...

We have so many things in common, friend. I like the smell of a book, and a whole bookstore? Heaven.

Awesome post, as usual. Your ability to write off the cuff is honestly pretty amazing.

Lots of hugs. Sunday? Yea...

:)

Jamie said...

ps...

Dana's comment about your grandma made me LOL. :)

Jan Morrison said...

yep, another book lover. hurrah!
Jan Morrison

happyone said...

I'm another book lover too. Have loved books my entire life.
I owned a sweat shirt like that too.

Karen Jones Gowen said...

I love books! And now I am moving after 20 years and omigosh the books! I need more boxes just for books.

New follower here, nice to meet you!

KarenG

Anonymous said...

HEY!!!!! What happened to C and D? Do you get your weekends off???

Golden To Silver Val said...

Challenge says not to post on Sundays. Awwww...you love me that much you missed me???

Cheryl said...

I don't know what I'd do without audiobooks. I'm addicted. I get mine from the library and I'm never without one in my car. I wish I had time to read at home, but too many things get in the way.