Thursday Thoughts...

“Books taught me to how to live. In their pages lived a complex language of emotion that felt absent from my childhood home, where my parents were too busy working and getting by to have what some might call “intellectual discussion.” Whether knowledge was gleaned via one of my grandmother’s romance novels, through Oliver Twist, or an illustrated edition of D’Aulaires Book of Greek Myths, in reading I adopted a psychological filter, through which I learned to interpret myself, the world, and my place in the world.” 

Julia Fierro, on how reading makes us human.

I was a fortunate child who got to love books as part of a family for whom trips to the library were treats; where books were key to any gift-giving; and where reading and discussing was encouraged.  Sadly that may not necessarily have been so for Julie Fierro it seems.

I imagine that within the absence of guided conversations, discussions and instructions, that books could indeed teach you how to live. From her words I imagine the eclectic education she received from whichever books were available and accessible, and I smile.

When you consider the breadth of subjects in books, from romance to sic-fi to biography to textbook; what an amazing world view you could develop; as well as sense of self within it.

I smiled too when she spoke about her grandmother's romance novels.  In amongst all her reading my mum was a Georgette Heyer fan and I became a devotee of her Regency Romances and still turn to them as my trashy novels whenever I am laid low or ill. Funnily enough I have learned loads about that era of history in England from the books and my favourite part indeed is the fact that every lead female character is strong and independent and generally bucks the system. Those female characters were in fact great role models!

I have collected a stash over the years and I think I might even own the whole series...