All these books, so little time....

Wow!  I am just coming off a 10 day vacation and I had the best time.  What goes perfect with long days at the lake (or pool)?  Late nights and lazy days?  You got it - reading.

I have loved to read for as long as I can remember.  When I was growing up, we had a bookmobile that came once a week during the summer, parked in the local grocery store lot.  I would walk the four blocks every week - with the first week signing up to read 25 books over the summer.  Nothing electronic then.  We signed up (really, on paper with a signature) and were given a list that was numbered one through twenty-five.  The only thing I could fill out immediately was my name and grade.  Then I got to reading.

Vacation Fiction

Through fifth grade, one of my favorite times of the school day was right after lunch.  We would all file in and take our seats, and then our teacher would read aloud to us for 15 minutes or so.  (It depended on how long the chapter was).  I distinctly remember in 5th grade, I was so interested in the book, I had to go check it out so I could read ahead.

In my junior high years, I went through a long period being very interested in all things biographical. Not only did I enjoy the reading part, I was learning as I went.

To this day, one of my favorite things to do is read.  As a "non-traditional" college student, I had to set aside my pleasure reading to keep up with my homework (and full-time family and job).  But the minute that last final was taken, I would be at the bookstore (notice the subtle shift from book borrower to book owner).

My kids liked to read also.  I have clear memories of Marissa in about 3rd through 6th grade.  She loved to read and also loved to skate.  Another match made in heaven.  We lived on a cul de sac with sidewalks so she would skate in circles, holding a book up to read as she skated.  This was the same girl that would have a book handy and pick it up to read during a spelling test - in between words!

Given the choice of a good book or television, a good book always wins,  Before DVR, I was more likely to watch the TV show and read during commercials.  But with the advent of DVR.....not so much.

Once the Kindle came along, I knew what true instant gratification was.  This has probably made the biggest dent in the impulse buying category of my budget.  Now if I see a book I want, or someone tells me about a MUST READ, all I need to do is go on my Kindle (or let's face it, even my phone) and order up the must have for immediate delivery.  That is even quicker than Amazon Prime (another weak spot for me).

In the pool (sans book)

So over the past ten days, I leafed through five magazines, finished a book I had started before I left, followed by three more fiction and two more of what I will call "self-discovery".  This took me up to my last day when all the "real" books and magazines had been read.  Not to worry, I had my Kindle with me that has at least a dozen unread (but ready to read) books in the queue.

The best thing about a Kindle is that you can have access to hundreds of books without the weight and space that real books take up when packing.  I still like to handle a real book on occasion and I bought all the books I took with me well before vacation.  Just a little teaser on the counter to look forward to,

So, what is your favorite book of all time?  There is no way I can limit myself to just one but I will toss out a couple, "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak and "I Know This Much Is True" by Wally Lamb.

Until next time,
#takingrecommendationsalways

your book reading pal,
Kari