My love for books and those who wrote them
I have an addiction, a healthy one – I think. The one that the more you do it the more you want to do it, which keeps you away from completing other tasks, such as cleaning, cooking, calling friends, watching a movie. The addiction, which can be a little bit pricey or not at all – depends on how you want to get what you need to satisfy yourself.
I am addicted to BOOKS. I LOVE reading. I enjoy every page I touch. That feeling of finishing the book and having to select a new one. It is like a fresh breath of air. It is exciting and uplifting. Those who love reading will understand exactly what I am writing about.
I am so happy I was born in a time of no phones, computers, and other screens. Otherwise, I might have not found the exciting world of books.
So where did my affair with the books begin? Or better – when?
Since I remember, and I don’t remember much of my childhood, I loved to read. My first memory of the books is me lying on the floor (not sure why when we were kids, we loved to stay on the floor in the kitchen. Kitchen was the best!) and trying to figure out how to read the book about a snowman. I do not recall the title or what was it about, but I clearly remember the snowman on the top of the blue cover. The book was a paper cover and only a few pages. I think I remember that exact book because this is the book, with which I learned to read. Because as humans we remember the events that triggered strong emotions within us, like September 11. We won’t usually remember what was said or done, but we will remember how this person or event made us feel.
So probably I felt proud reading my first sentences. I remember I taught myself to read. Don’t ask me how. It just happened. Since then you would find me always with the book. I would read day and night – literally.
Thank God for libraries. My favorite place, until now. Sorry, writers, I am too cheap to buy all your books, and I like my home empty… Actually, when I was a child, my parents could not afford to buy new books. We were just making the ends meet… So I was a frequent visitor at the village library. I think I have read all the kids’ books there. I would read after school after I finish homework, and after I had to be sleeping. I would hide under the blanket with a torch and read until some clever grown-up figured out that I am still up.
Books gave me freedom: freedom to imagine, freedom to travel, freedom to dream of big things and different worlds than the one I was in. Through books, I learned the grandiose of the world and endless possibilities. Now, when I look back, I think the books helped get me where I am in my life right now. They expanded my imagination, understanding, and made me dream about big things in life (good to note that I grew up in a village with no plumbing or internet or phones, or shops, or even the asphalt roads).
During high school and university, I have to admit that I did not read so much as I was immersed in study books and did not have much time for any other literature, but then school was over, and having a full-time job leaves a lot of free time (at least for me), so I picked up on reading again.
I would buy books, as I started earning, I would get books from friends, so I would store books and read, but having books filling up my space was not my thing. Living in foreign countries I had to move many times and sell or give books away, so a few years ago I decided I pay enough taxes to use a public library. I can get any book I want and for free! Oh MY!!!
Because many books I will read just once, and the books I want to read many times I buy, actually – will buy. Did not buy them yet. On my to-do list 😊 I don’t want to have books just for the sake of having them collect the dust. They should be read! I also do not care if I have no books at home and people will form some opinion about me because of that. It is not what you display to others, but what you actually do. Having 100 books at home does not mean you read them. And hey… that’s my wisdom from the books I have read. So you see what I am talking about 😊
But here I start also having some doubts, what about the writers? They put their heart and soul into it… I hope one day I can repay them by writing a book they will find undeniably interesting. Just wait for it! And also every time I read a great book, I write a review on “Goodreads” (get the app and add me there😊) and recommend it to my friends and family. And they might buy it. So you see, I am like a free public agent.
Did I mention that I love reading?
Oh yes, I did. But does not matter, let me repeat myself. There are many reasons why…
Books let me travel wherever I want to. They let me be in many places at once, talk to many people and not only. I can also talk to animals. Books give me superpowers. I can travel in time and space. I can be a queen, a servant, a scientist, a talking cat, or a mother of two.
Books help me to put my life together, to get to know myself and the world around me better. They teach me what matters in life, and so many things we don’t know that we don’t know.
My favorite types of books are about the brain. I love to read about why we are how we are, why we do what we do and how we can become better human beings. How we can heal from traumas and by improving ourselves to improve others around us.
I love the feeling of starting the book and feel sad when the good book ends. But at the same time looking forward to picking up a new one. I promise to myself I will have a break and not know how but find myself with another book in my hands, comfy under the blanket, with candle lights and a cup of coffee (if that’s in winter). In summer I put my legs up on the rocking chair and enjoy the fresh breeze of summer wind and sun in my face. And coffee is good during any season, I must admit it.
Books make me feel not alone, they provide me with peace, knowledge, hope.
3 years ago I challenged myself to read a book per week. And did I succeed? No doubt about that. And I feel how much I improved as a person because of this. And I feel sad that there are so many books and so little time.
I would read while walking, standing in a line, waiting for something or someone, traveling in public transport. I would say just one more page or just one more chapter and here I would be 5 in the morning finishing the last pages.
If you suffer from the addiction, make it this one.
It’s good for you, especially if you have a library card 😊
I collected my favorite books of the past three years. No need to thank me. Have fun reading them.
I mostly read psychological, self-development books, but I also enjoy a good novel.
My top books (not in any particular order):
The book thief. Markus Zusak
Memoirs of Geisha. Arthur Golden
The Shack. William Paul Young
A thousand splendid suns. Khaled Hosseini
Nineteen minutes. Jodi Picoult
Seriously… I am kidding. Ellen DeGeneres
A man called Ove. Frederik Backman
Lean in. Sheryl Sandberg
The examined life. Stephen Grosz
Furiously happy. Jenny Lawson
When breath becomes air. Paul Kalanithi
The things we keep. Sally Hepworth
The traveling cat chronicles. Hiro Arikawa
Option B. Sheryl Sandberg.
The language of kindness. Christie Watson
The four agreements. Miguel Ruiz
The power of now. Eckhart Tolle
The art of loving. Erich Fromm
My sister´s keeper. Jodi Picoult
A new earth. Eckhart Tolle
Desert Flower. Waris Dirie
The kite runner. Khaled Hosseini
Flowers for Algernon. Daniel Keyes
Wishes fulfilled. Wayne W. Dyer
12 rules for life. Jordan B. Peterson
Every note played. Lisa Genova
Maybe this time. Jill Mansell
And on and on I could go…
Did I awaken some interest in books in you? Or are you already addicted to reading? Please share your thoughts. I would love to hear your top 3 books (I might even read them or have read them), and also what do you like the best about books?
With love,
Irma