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I think those of us that love reading, love thinking. Books open new doors and make us think of things that perhaps we wouldn't ordinarily think of. I agree too that most avid readers come from homes where they see reading happening and it's "easy" for them, but I also know first hand (because I work with Adult literacy) that there are people that come wanting help to become better readers. They get to a point where they see reading as a method of bettering their lives in some way.
"Bob" came to me as a 72 year old man wanting to figure out how to read so he could decipher his Bible better. "He was going to lick this problem before it was too late!" He said he remembers always struggling in school with books.
Some of my earliest childhood memories are those of being "read to" by my parents and grandmother. I grew up before the days of Television, and although we did sit together as a family in the evening in the parlor and listen to the radio, we also read aloud. Christmas always include a few books for special presents. Selections still stand out in my mind, "Winnie the Pooh"; "Little Men" "Little Women"; all the Thornton Burgess "Old Mother West Wind Series"; "The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World" by Richard Halliburton; "Kidnapped" and "Treasure Island" plus many books of poetry such as "A Child's Garden of Verses"; and "Hiawatha" and Mr. Longfellow's, "Listen My Children and You...........". I believe at one time we went thru the "Bobbsie Twins Series".
As we kids grew older we would share reading, passing the book around the family and taking turns readings, and then it was up to bed.
I remember one rainy vacation when we were tent camping...spending day after day in the tent, reading aloud from "Freckles" and "Girl of the Limberlost" by Jean Stratton Porter; and since we were near the historical homestead of the author we made a side trip to see her home and the desk where she sat and wrote.
Reading is associated with hearth and home and was a family activity of great closeness and one that we all shared and valued.
From the very beginning, when I learned how to read, I loved reading. I’d read anything…the 1st grade reading books I brought home from school and was supposed to read one chapter (I’d read the whole book in one evening), books from the library, the encyclopedia (starting with the letter "A"), newspapers, magazines laying around, just anything. I'm in my 50's now and still love to read and make reading a priority. Growing up, my parents weren’t readers and didn’t encourage or discourage reading at home.
My 13 year old daughter is like me. She’s a voracious reader and always has a couple of books going. She asks for Barnes & Noble gift cards so she can get more books . But her twin brother isn’t a reader. While he can get into a book and not want to put it down until it’s finished, he isn’t drawn to looking for a particular book he’d like to read.
Tricky D, thanks for the recommendations but I actually don't like comics, although I have read and owned a few, including the Sandman series. I got into the Vertigo press issues because of an art project I was working on and McKean was central to the project. If I hadn't gotten into that project, I would never have seen some of his art work, and I am fond of it, but not the comics themselves. And the Gaiman book was a surprise to me, and I didn't know it had been made into a BBC 2 TV series. I do wonder how it turned out?
Mooseketeer, I did resonant to some of what you describe, and certainly the love of the books, and the escape into other worlds. Even the paper and binding of books have had an appeal to me, and continues to call me to touch, smell and savour what I imagine is the mustiness of ole ink.
And, I wonder cil if you are right that readers are born. I didn't have a role model at home, as legal documents are hardly inspiring, and my mother was not much of a reader, although she taught me to read very early. Some of my siblings don't appear to like to read, while others do.
I do hope others will continue to share their thoughts and experiences.
Last edited by ontheroad; 01-13-2008 at 09:50 AM..
From the very beginning, when I learned how to read, I loved reading. I’d read anything…the 1st grade reading books I brought home from school and was supposed to read one chapter (I’d read the whole book in one evening), books from the library, the encyclopedia (starting with the letter "A"), newspapers, magazines laying around, just anything. I'm in my 50's now and still love to read and make reading a priority. Growing up, my parents weren’t readers and didn’t encourage or discourage reading at home.
My 13 year old daughter is like me. She’s a voracious reader and always has a couple of books going. She asks for Barnes & Noble gift cards so she can get more books . But her twin brother isn’t a reader. While he can get into a book and not want to put it down until it’s finished, he isn’t drawn to looking for a particular book he’d like to read.
I can relate to your experience, except my parents did read. Mom was the avid book reader, my dad fewer books and always the newspaper and magazines. However, my dad was the one that read to us before bedtime. Not being exposed to a television at an early age may have encouraged my reading except my sister is 13 months younger and was never motivated to read. Sometimes in class I had to restrain myself from "giving the story away" during class discussions because I had already finished the book. We lived six houses from our grade school library which was kept open during summer vacation. We were allowed two books each per week, so I would confiscate my sister's card and get four books.
And the Gaiman book was a surprise to me, and I didn't know it had been made into a BBC 2 TV series. I do wonder how it turned out?
I dunno, as I said the series was just too British for my taste.
I like Graphic Novels because they are like good movies, a good cross between action and 'high-brow' literature.
If I'm in the mood for something heavy I read a philosophy or non-fiction book or something. I usually read comics for the 'rest and relaxation'.
I think that what got me interested in reading happened on my first day of school...Sister Doralese SSJ ( I'm sure she was approaching her 179 th birthday) Made a huge production standing in front of a 6' high glass cabinet with curtains on the glass front. She said " Before you leave my class room something wonderful will happen to you. The most important thing in your life. You will learn (at this point she threw open the book case doors quite dramatically ) you will learn how to read every book in this cabinet!!" It made an impression
A wonderful story, Trudeyrose, and I suspect others may also have heard those magic words, "the most important thing in your life" will occur when you learn to read!
Sister Doralese SSJ was one clever teacher, I reckon!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trudeyrose
I think that what got me interested in reading happened on my first day of school...Sister Doralese SSJ ( I'm sure she was approaching her 179 th birthday) Made a huge production standing in front of a 6' high glass cabinet with curtains on the glass front. She said " Before you leave my class room something wonderful will happen to you. The most important thing in your life. You will learn (at this point she threw open the book case doors quite dramatically ) you will learn how to read every book in this cabinet!!" It made an impression
[quote=cil;2499398]Ditto.
We were the kind of family that read the cereal box at the morning breakfast table. Also, we moved around a bit, I was kind of a shy kid; reading was always there if friends weren't.
However, I do tend to think that readers are born rather than made.
I do believe this also. Two of my four children were avid readers. One of my sons still likes to sit around with the family with various books of poems and hear each of us read one in turn.
I came from a family of readers. We did not have a TV and I was read to as a child. We read, worked puzzles, crossword puzzles ... I'm just a reader ... I always like to hide the last four or five pieces of big puzzles and get beat up by my sister! I was raised with a great love for books and our weekly trips to the library. Even today I can spend hours upon hours in our public library.
We have three children and not a reader among them and they can't understand why mom likes to have a book under her nose ... on her bedside table ... stuck in the recliner chair. In addition I still read cereal boxes!
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. But her twin brother isn’t a reader. While he can get into a book and not want to put it down until it’s finished, he isn’t drawn to looking for a particular book he’d like to read.
I usually read comics for the 'rest and relaxation'.
