Books And Why We Read Them

Recently, I was minding my own business eating two books a day. Granted, they weren't large ones and I didn't actually ingest them. Nope, I just read and read and read and read and read. This makes sense to me because I love books but every once in a while I LOVE BOOKS. I think there should be a name like this like Book Binging or Book Vacations or Book Escapism.

But when I was done and the thirty odd books were packed for shipping to a good friend who also eats books, I felt good. A little like Super Woman. It's like I had absorbed something from all that reading. I smiled more. I laughed more. It was truly a great leftover feeling of peace and calm.

Which got me to thinking, what do people get out of reading books? I know this questions sounds very utilitarian but stick with me here. Books have been around since before movable type and the Lithiograph. They were hand-copied by Monks for example centuries ago. They held common knowledge for the future. And while I couldn't say that two hundred years ago, everybody was linked by Satellite or TV or Radio, I could say that most families owned a book.

What is it about us that makes it impossible to leave books behind? And yes, back to the question, what do we get out of it? Armed with my curiosity, I took out my notebook and asked around.

Reason One

Entertainment ranked ahead of videos and TV by most avid readers, a book can go anywhere, anytime. Books are so popular for long journeys they are stocked in airport stores and train stations, not to mention bus stops. Reading in the car isn't advisable for obvious reasons. Books are even sold in camp stores and department stores as well as gas stations and mini marts. I can't say the same thing about videos or games.

Reason Two

Being able to drift away into another time and place is entertainment similar to all other forms.

Reason Three

Personal growth is often an answer. How does the reader grow by reading a book? A good book has character growth so naturally you read about it, watched it and to some degree felt your own personal growth. The dastardly characters may or may not be admired but the protagonist has to be identified with in most stories. Underdog or not, it is the protagonist we watch.

Reason Four

Perspective switching. Readers can walk those proverbial miles in the other person's shoes. It leads to greater understanding of individuals around us.

Reason Five

A Darn Good Yarn. Yes, the desire for hearing stories starts in our childhood and continues. Even in grade four or five, start your lesson with Once Upon A Time and they'll all be quiet. Stories are the ways we connect as cultures. Even in preliterate societies, stories educate, teach, entertain, enthrall and there is no other comparison.

As a child, I used to hang on my dad's every word when he talked about family. It didn't matter if he made half of it up. I still sat there and was enthralled.

Reason Six

Curiosity of how others life. We have an innate curiosity about other people. For all intensive purposes, fiction offers us a glimpse into others' lives.

I'm sure there were more but let's keep it simple. I need to get back to my book!

Best of luck.