Pages

Friday, April 22, 2011

R is for...

...Reading.

No, not the city in the UK, although I spent many weeks there as an Instructor. Nor in Northern California, either. Never been there.

The act of reading, books, the backs of cereal boxes, any series of words that fall into my line of (now somewhat augmented by correcting lenses) sight. I have said, often, that I will read pretty much anything that comes between book coves. I should also add to that, pretty much anything that has come on one or other of the half-dozen eReaders I've owned and used over the years.

Poetry, nonsense rhymes, short stories, novellas, great (in all senses of the word) Russian novels - and just about all genres, from pure (or otherwise!) Romance, through Young Adult, to hard-code hard Science Fiction - and all points in between.

Stories. Plain and simple. Or lush and complex, for that matter.

I read to enjoy, to get lost in the story, to inhabit the world built up in the collaboration between writer and reader. And, in recent years, I find I also read to learn, to watch the creator at work, to peek at the mechanics going on between, beneath the words.

But I still get lost in the story. As I should.

And then there's poetry - but we already know what I think about that. "P" was dedicated to a small "show and tell" on that topic - where the showing was done by the great Ms. Dickinson herself.

So, reading. It's good for what ails ya.

And, right now, I'm reading a Kurt Wallandar story by Henning Mankell. And lost in the story I am.

10 comments:

  1. There's nothing better than getting lost in a book! (or a cereal box) Just don't take three pages to tell me how an engine works...it's enough to tell me it runs. I'll believe anything. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I haven't read anything new for a while. Time to remedy that.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I did a reading post for 'r' day of the a to z challenge also. Reading is such a big part of my life that I fear I'd be lost without it. Hope I never have to find out. I love to lose myself in the story also. Right now I'm reading Grave Peril by Jim Butcher. Loving Harry Dresden!
    Michelle
    http://meanderingwithmiche.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love this. Reading is good for pretty much anything. Whenever I'm feeling low I take myself away with a book and recharge.

    Jai

    ReplyDelete
  5. Reading is one of the most pleasant activities one can have. I too love losing myself in the story, distancing myself from the reality. No wonder I write fantasy, eh? heh

    Great post, Kevin.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Laura: Agreed - there are some authors who are particularly fond of showing how much research they've done. It's not always necessary to inflict that on the reader.

    Angela: Happy to supply a reminder. :) Thanks for stopping by.

    Michelle: Losing myself in a story is a wonderful thing - glad it's a joy you share.

    Jai: One of the reasons I love your blog is the "take myself away" is so complete with the stories you tell.

    Mari: Thanks for the comment. Yes, reading is wonderful. I love story.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Loved reading each word you wrote here, Kevin, and feel so much the same about reading myself :)

    Most times, reading is the only thing that will keep my mind occupied enough to be able to relax it for a while and not have it think of a million thoughts all at once like it usually does...
    My reading challenge for this year is 30 books, and am quite pleased with myself for being at number 12 *proud of herself that she's ahead* ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh, and:
    Happy Bunny Day! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Estrella: 30 books! I don't think I've ever set myself a target, nor have I ever kept track. Well done for getting ahead of yourself (not sure that came out quite as hoped :p )

    And Happy Bunny Day to you also.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Reading is one of my favorite things to do :-). And I enjoy reading what you write (sorry I am late).
    ~2

    ReplyDelete