'Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are' -Mason Cooley
King Max, from Where the Wild Things are by Maurice Sendak
Ever since I was young, I loved reading. I remember the summer when I was introduced to the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery, and read all eight of them. I couldn't put them down, and when the last one was finished, I wanted to read more of them.
For me, when I read, it's like I jump into that book, wherever it may be, and it's like I'm right there. My imagination pretty much runs wild, and I can picture in my mind all the things happening in that book, whether I've seen a movie about it or not.
Most of the time I usually read the books after the movie, but I always thoroughly enjoy them either way. It's like I'm on an adventure and can't wait to see what happens next.
There was a time when I got older, that I didn't read as much. I think mainly because I was living overseas and I didn't have access to many good books, except only the few that i had brought with me. Now though, I have the chance to get my hands on pretty much any book.
My favorite though, are definitely the classics, just like my taste in movies. I don't know why, but I have always enjoyed those more than any type of books that I have read in my life. Most of the time the classics are much longer, but that just meant that the adventures would keep going.
The Lost Boys from Peter Pan, by James Matthew Barrie
Like I mentioned earlier about Anne of Green Gables series, those are my top favorite by far. Others that I have enjoyed would be...the works of Mark Twain (Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, etc. ), Swiss Family Robinson by Jonathan David Wyss, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, the works of Jack London (The Call of the Wild, The Road, etc. ), the works of Robert Louis Stevenson (Treasure Island, Kidnapped, etc. ), Peter Pan by James Matthew Barrie, and one of my all time favorites, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
There are others that I can't remember, but these are ones that I can recall, and some are more of my recent reads.
My most recent was The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. I don't know why I never read it before, since I love the movies. I actually just finished it as of last night. There have been times when I see the book on my desk, and I think, I need to read today and the day goes by and it doesn't happen. And than there are those days when I go pick up the book and read for a while, and I can't seem to put it down. Last night was the latter, I couldn't stop reading and ended up finishing it.
After I finished it though, I automatically wanted to start a new book, with new adventures, but it was too late and I was falling asleep. It would have to wait until the following day.
There are so many things you can learn from reading a good book. Your mind expands with knowledge as well as it let's your imagination go crazy wild!
Today I started reading the Hunger Games trilogy. I got into those movies kind of late. The second movie was already out by the time I started watching them, and I pretty much fell in love with them. They are full of excitement and suspense! So now is the time to read the books and go on a journey to the Hunger Games! I know it's not a classic book like I prefer, but with such a strong interest of mine, I know that I will enjoy them.
If you are reading this, and you never really took time to read a good book, or you keep putting it off. I want to encourage you, take the time to read! Take time to set aside the things that are going on around you and dig into a good book. You won't regret it! I say, start with a great classic, you can't go wrong there!
'Home is behind, the world ahead, and there are many paths to tread through shadows to the edge of night, until the stars are all alight'. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
Fantine, Les Miserables by Victor Hugo