I read like an alcoholic drinks. 

I’ve got books hidden around in various places. I am never far from a story. I fear running out. I plan ahead to make sure I am stocked up. I don’t want to hit rock bottom and have to resort to newspapers or magazines. I also do not like to re-read books. I want new stuff.  

I am ravenous for new ideas presented well. I am greedy for a thick juicy slab of characters, plot and prose. 

Someone said that reading is the most efficient way to get knowledge. There is so much straight up information in books. The how-to, the what happened, the facts or rules that must be referenced are so well kept in books. 

And then there are the worlds I can enter. An author strings words together that create a universe for me to inhabit. I can enter the mind of a psychotic person, or an animal or even –as in the case of Flatland—a single dimensional dot. 

Every adventure imaginable from the comfort of my own home. 

But that’s not all!  

Each piece of writing is a time capsule. Authors are capturing viewpoints of a particular moment. When I wonder how people at a certain time regarded things, and a book tells me. I can tell what types of people were admired, and who disappointed. 

When a book is ready widely enough, it actually changes the culture after it is published. I recently reviewed Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a book that dramatically changed American beliefs and resolve about the evils of slavery. Even as the book itself captured the viewpoints of Americans, it changed them. 

What power in the written word! I cannot get enough of them. 

And yeah, I want to talk about what I’m reading. I think it’s fascinating. I’d love it if my conversation partner has read the book too, but it’s not required. 

But there is a strange block of shame. People feel ashamed that they are not readers and put themselves in the penalty box. It’s okay! I’ll tell you about it and you can learn enough from me for us to talk about it. 

Sometimes people will talk with me. Sometimes they won’t. 
 
But I’m still enjoying my books. In fact, I have created a YouTube Channel to talk about the books I’m reading. You can go there to find out what I’ve been reading. If you want to talk to me about the books I’ve read I would love to hear what you think. 

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