Narrative Column

What role have books played In your life

I remember when I was young, probably just learning to read, a time when my dad and I were reading Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham. 

It must have been contraction day at school or something, because each time, without fail I would replace "do not" with "don't."

"I don't like green eggs and ham, I don't like them Sam-I-Am."

And, without fail, my dad would make me go back and restart the page until I got it right.

"I do not like green eggs and ham, I do not like them Sam-I-Am.

I remember the summer before sixth grade when we had to choose a summer reading book. They all sounded boring, so I chose to read Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.

A few months before, I had tried to read this book, but I couldn't get past the first line. I thought it said "Look, I don't want to be half bloody." 

And internally, I was like 'this sounds gross.' 

But, I picked it up again and actually read it this time. Turns out, I had not read carefully because the words are actually "Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood." 

There is a big difference between half bloody and half-blood. 

After I got past that, I couldn't stop. That book sucked me right in. I had never read a book as beautifully crafted as that (at the time) and I needed to read more. 

I did some Googling and found that it was the first of a five book series, and then on top of that there was a series after with some new and old characters AND there was another series about Egypt.

I was in book heaven.

When I got to school, all I wanted to do was read the second book, but it wasn't at the library. So, I settled and got the first book of the second series.

Mistake on my part.

I read this book and was so confused when things were mentioned that I had no idea about. I will never read a book series out of order, ever again.

Ever.

I remember a time in elementary school, a teacher asked us to write down our ideal day. If we could have one day to ourself what would it look like. So, I wrote mine down.

Everyone else said they would go to the beach or to an amusement park or go to Hollywood and meet celebrities. When they read theirs out loud, I felt like I misunderstood the assignment because when my teacher asked me to write down my ideal day, I said this: 

"Sitting at home, reading and eating Goldfish."

Going to the beach or to an amusement park or to Hollywood wasn't anything that crossed my mind. 

And looking back, that's still my ideal day. Hanging out and reading.

The reason these I wanted to highlight these stories is because they are my earliest reading memories.

As extensive as my vocabulary is, I don't think I could ever put into words what reading has done for me. It has brought me joy, sadness, stress and anger, sometimes all in a few chapters.

I have discovered new worlds and seen people fall in love. I have been to Mount Olympus, 19th century London, 20th century Shanghai, the magical land of Camelot and so many other places.

Reading has fueled my passion for traveling, as well.

The first time I went to London, (21st century London, that is) I felt like I wanted to cry. This was a city that I had spent years of reading about and I was finally there. 

For a weekend trip, we went to Bathe, a beautiful city in England. There was a small flea market-like place where people were selling random trinkets. I walked up to a table and found this small, cloth covered blue book and picked it up.

The book is called An Inland Voyage Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes by Robert Louis Stevenson. 

I was about to put it back, since I knew there was no way I was going to read it, but it was cool to look at, when the owner of the book walked up to me. We started talking and I told him about my love for reading and how my grandfather would love a book like this. 

He told me to just take it.

I argued with him, saying I couldn't just take the book from him, and he replied "What use do I have for just a quid?"

That book sits on my bookshelf in my bedroom, reminding me of the random kindness of a stranger who saw my love for books.

On my computer, I even had a book spreadsheet. It is titled SPREADSHEET, just in case I forget it.

I have the list of books that I've read (with their author and my personal comments on the book), books that I started and never finished (and why), books that I want to read (with their author and my interest in reading the book) and all the series I've ever read (ranked with small stars).

Oh, and it's color coded. 

Sometimes I think my passion for reading might be a little too much, but then I think about how It could be so much worse.

I could be buying the books. Instead, I use my handy-dandy library card that I got in Kindergarten to check out multiple books at a time. 

If library cards were anything like credit cards, I would be racking up charges like no one's business.

Over the summer I would go to the library every other day, sometimes back-to-back days because I read a book in a day. Once I sat down and got comfortable with my book and a snack, I could read cover to cover, easy.

When we were children, my grandfather used to tell my sisters and I bedtime stories. They were of magical places and funny looking people.

Now, I'm 21-years-old. I recently found out, in the last few months, that the stories he told us was pretty much the Lord of the Rings plot. 

So, I did what any logical person would do if given that information.

I bought the first Lord of the Rings book. And I plan to read all 1,137 pages of it. 

I don't know how I got the reading gene. Neither of my parents particularly like reading and my grandfather who does love reading is my mom's stepdad, so no blood relation there.

Reading was always my thing at home. If someone couldn't find me, there was a good chance I was holed up somewhere with a book. I felt like Princess Belle.

Reading so many books has given me such a strong appreciation for writing. The things that those authors can just come up with, the words, the people, the languages is just astonishing. 

I think that's why I went into writing and why I enjoy it so much. I get to tell a story, and I love telling stories. 

I might not be as creative as J.R.R Tolkien, George R.R. Martin or even Judy Blume. 

But their writing has made me who I am today. Without all the reading I've done over the years, I probably wouldn't be the person I am today.

Scratch that.

I wouldn't be the person I am today. 

I feel like I should  write thank you letters to every author I've ever read and thank them for filling my childhood, teenage years and (currently) my college years with wonder, magic and beauty.

If I ever forget the author a book, I can just go to my spreadsheet and look it up. 

So, um, yeah. I guess I like reading.