Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Confessions of a Born Bibliophile


I guess, genetically speaking, it would be impossible to actually be “born a book lover” and yet, it feels as though books are a part of me and always have been. It's almost as if the circadian rhythm of my body moves in time to the hushed sounds of book pages turning. Books change the way I feel, not just mentally - but physically.

You see, my heart changes its pace when I enter a bookstore, according to my purpose for being there. It beats faster if I am excited to hunt for a specific treasure someone has told me about. It beats slower if I casually peruse the world of books to quietly explore new novels or if I wish to seek out first time authors. Walking among the books brings calm to my, sometimes, chaotic and busy life. Whether my heart is beating faster or slower, it is always happy when surrounded by shelf after shelf of books.

I love everything about books. I love the way they look and smell. I love seeing the beautiful words printed so neatly on the pages. I love the textures, the weight, the fullness, and the...solidarity of it all. I like the feel of a book in my hand, like it has always belonged there. And, for as long as I can remember, a book has always been there. The mere thought of how many books my hands have held always brings a smile to my face.

Now that I have confessed to you my love of books, I will tell you the reason for this blog:

I want to blog about books that I have read or books that I am reading. I don't want to "give" away anything about the books, so there is no need to worry about "spoiler alerts" from me. I would never spoil the joy of reading for someone else. I would like to tell about books I recommend to friends and why I feel they are good books. I have very eclectic taste, and I am not a book snob. I'm willing to give any book a try if someone recommends it. Many times I find good books because I like to look for new authors. The classics are wonderful, but everyone deserves a chance to be read. I also read books written for various age groups, including children's storybooks. Like C.S. Lewis, I believe that a good story is a good story, whether you're 5...or 105. So, I'll share about the books I read, and I hope you'll share about the ones you read! 



In honor of all the books I love, I'd like to dedicate this very first book blog to my very first book: 

(And, yes, I still have it. :)