Carl Sagan
My childhood was the place where my love of books began; I remember reading together; practising; and getting scared by the stories. But most of all I remember being told when older, to turn the light out and always replying "at the end of the chapter" and continuing to read through to the next one and the next if I could.
Reading as a child gave me confidence, showed me so many worlds; allowed me to identify with all the boisterous athletic girls in novels and feel as if not being girly was OK. So many things I learned from reading as a child.
I think I am known as the aunt or friend or godmother who nearly always gives books as gifts - they offer children the chance to discover worlds beyond their walls; to fire up their imaginations; to dream dreams and to know that you are never alone when you have a book.
“A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted. You should live several lives while reading it.”
ReplyDeleteWilliam Styron
the words you shared here are so true...if a child can learn to read...learn to enjoy...sink in to a story and be transported along the way...pure magic! it took my oldest awhile to develop a l♥ve for reading but once he found the right books...he can't get enough! i can get lost for hours in words written by others...warm wishes and brightest blessings~
Amen to that! Beautiful thoughts about such wonderful things as books...thank you!
ReplyDeleteyes I remember huddling under the bedclothes with my trusty torch! I even slept with my favourite books!
ReplyDeleteBooks were my very best friends. I couldn't wait until our babies were born and I could acquire all those delicious picture books to read with them (and readying myself for a torch patrol)....
How ironic then that our 8yr old boyo has dyslexia - he loves the idea of books but they remain a closed puzzle and the source of his greatest anxiety....
(cute coloured bookies btw!)
loving to read, to devour the stories, to see another way of being (in our case) a girl...i so understand. i like the rainbow you "offer".
ReplyDeleteLovely rainbow of mysterious imaginary content and a pot of gold somewhere xoxoxo
ReplyDeleteI share your love of books and I hope they never disappear into the tech world of kindles and computers.
ReplyDeleteAs a child I don't think I could have survived without books, and I had wonderful parents who loved books and understood my need for them. I still have most of those childhood books, plus many, many more, and I love to give books as gifts.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful set of rainbow books, Fiona.
As ever, thank you all for your thoughts and reflections FW - I think I do often live several lives whilst reading a book!
ReplyDeletePatti - yes books are the goods!
Ronnie - I think of books as best friends; and hope that your eldest finds his way into them somehow as he goes...
Velma - yes, the way that books can reflect many different ways of being can be enlightening
N- in the absence of any good images of children reading and/or their books; figured rainbows were good!
Donna - I can't ever imagine not having the physical book around me; I might adapt/adopt some of the technologies but books will always be my first go-to for sure
Carol - understanding and encouraging parents, the world needs them!
From another booklover...I too was read to by my parents...haven't had much occasion to give gifts to children of friends and relatives, but when I have, it has almost always been a book, so your comment made me smile - must keep the love of books going in the new generation! I sit here typing surrounded by at least a thousand hardcovers warping the shelves of my tall bookcases. They have followed me through several relocations. I cannot imagine a home without them!
ReplyDeleteTT-yes it's too scary to contemplate a home without books. Such good friends and companions; with so many shared memories.
ReplyDelete