Reader's Paradise discussion

Growing up my mom would mark books in our home with stickers with money percentages. When you would read them to her she would give you the change. :) Needless to say we read quite a few books growing up. It was definitely a smart way to get us into reading!

S.Shade wrote: "Growing up my mom would mark books in our home with stickers with money percentages. When you would read them to her she would give you the change. :) Needless to say we read quite a few books grow..."

Wow. That IS really a smart way. So you earned a lot, huh?:P:P

Arpit wrote: "S.Shade wrote: "Growing up my mom would mark books in our home with stickers with money percentages. When you would read them to her she would give you the change. :) Needless to say we read quite ..."

Had to make that change to support our candy habit ;)

I honestly can't remember when I didn't read. Have loved reading since I was little. Would sit on the floor and read by the hall light when I was little when I was supposed to be in bed.

Both my mother and grandmother are avid readers so I grew up with them reading to me and from the moment I was able to read myself I've devoured books like their my lifeline.

Well my mom used to always give me books when I was a child, and at my school reading was a requirement and you got awards for meeting your goal. I also didn't really have friend friends in elementary school, so I spent any free time I had reading! From their my love of reading grew to obsession, and now I don't like to just read them I collect them too!

I loved math and I was horrible in English, my mom would get me books so I could improve my English. With time I started to enjoy reading more and more

i think, i should also be given some gifts on every book i read....

Mayank wrote: "i think, i should also be given some gifts on every book i read...."

I will give you something...if you complete at least 20 books this year. What say?

@arpit
Wow!!!
Offer is very nice....but quantity of books is very large....
by the way, I'll try.....

Lol....I was thinking of 50, but settled down on 20....and you say it's large!!
Just look around you...many of GR members consume more than 100 books per year, and look at this scarred child:P:P
Grow up, man.
You HAVE TO try.

will try ....

That is a long story! But how I started was my mom read to me in the womb and she read to me while growing up. By the time school started I was hitting the library hard! I had read and read and read so much. But the one I remember the most was my first book in my personal library from my 1st grade teacher was "Frosty the Snowman"!

Aaah!! I always love something additional...having a robotic routine life is no fun and its totally a waste.. something a step ahead is what I wish.. living with school books are bad whereas living with books u love is good.. that's what created a passion fo reading!! its something that makes me happy and unique!!

I really cant remember a time without my books, but i guess its a familly thing, because my mother and granmother are the same.
I cant say the same about my brother and dad though

I know this might sound funny but the person who sowed the seed of book reading in me was my ex.
It was probably the one good thing which she ever gave me during the time I was with her. Post Break-up I was struggling to get in terms with the Reality and grades dipped,health was affected and I was literally behaving like a dope. Then I came across Lemony Snicket's books. Having nothing better to do, I started to read his book. Slowly, I found myself downloading all his books and reading them day and night. Then I found other good books to read, I fell in love again...but this time...it was with books. It pulled me out of my cave and showed me so many beautiful things for me to experience. It taught me so many things in life. I became more patient, calm, self composed and most importantly, I became happy and embraced who I really was. Yes, I'm a broken soul. But who in world isn't ?! Every person has a role to play in our life. From my ex, I learnt that I mustnt give my heart to someone who doesn't know to handle it. I learnt that Happiness doesn't come from people and that it comes from within. She taught me how to love myself. She taught me that I don't need another person to keep me happy in life.
I'll quote a line from a book that I read recently :P
" Pain is a seed that grows into strength. "
Now, I'm stronger than I ever was.

Before reading books, I felt like a Loser in life by having my heart broken by a really stupid person who I thought would be my soulmate.

After I started to read books, I realized that, we never lose in life. We always learn.
Falling down isn't a defeat. Failing to pick ourselves up is the real defeat.

I might have lost in love.
But I won in Life.

I really talk so much :P !
Let me cut it short.

So, I again thank my ex for making me to read books :D
I will always be the Hero of my Story :)

Also thanks to Goodreads. :P

Wow! Siddarth.. That was quite a story!! ;)

Thanks a loooot for sharing, chingus!! :)

Ohhh that's so wow and cute

My parents used to get me simple comics and stuff when I was young (You know those Tinkle, Champak, Batman etc.) I couldn't read myself so they used to read it to me.

Then there was this Grandma stories book that my uncle gave me (I still have it!). My dad used to read me from it and I eventually myself started reading as I grew up. The same goes for Panchtantra.

My first proper book has to be an abridged version of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, which my mom got me. It used to be her favorite childhood book and became mine too. Still one of my favorites! :)

Then followed Enid Blyton (EVERYTHING by her!), Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Goosebumps, illustrated Classics and what not!

Then came Harry Potter and then Lord of the Rings, and the rest they say is history.

I think this was only possible because both my parents are avid readers, and I'm really glad they introduced me to reading :)

In my childhood days, my parents used to get me tinkle, and Aesop's fables, nassurdin shah, Akbar and birbal, tenali Rama and all those fabulous books. Then, all together I stopped reading when I was about 10. Then when I was 13, I stumbled upon One night at the call center by chetan Bhagat in my elder brother's bookshelf, and the reading experience was an emotional experiment. From then on, no turning back. I started reading like my very life depended on it.

Arpit wrote: "Mayank wrote: "i think, i should also be given some gifts on every book i read...."

I will give you something...if you complete at least 20 books this year. What say?"

I'm up for the bet.only 20 books ,right? I'll read more than 20 books this year. Infact , I have read.......like 190 novels from 2015 June to 2016 April. I first started reading when I was gifted a book for my 7th birthday by my uncle(who is an author by the way). And I continued my reading as it grew from timepass to fun to hobby to obsession to addiction to ......atlast one of my basic necessity !!!!! I am called by the terms , geek,dork,freak ,the silent but danger one ,etc. But I prefer referring me as a bibliophile (which is descent :))

But that offer was only for him, 'cause it was challenge for him, but not for you. I guess you can complete 20 books in just a week!!

I have to think something more challenging for you, Mr. Bibliophile :P:P

Well my mom does not really encourage me read cos wherever I go I have book with me like when I'm walking or even in class! I think i hold a record for having my storybooks confiscated the most no. of times in school. Seriously!!
Well I had a passion for reading since I was like 5.

Wow Jyotsna!! That's really good.

Thx

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I guess I got into reading because I was an impatient child. I wanted to know what the line of gibberish under the comic book characters said and people were never around to read it out aloud for me :D SO i learned how to read just to be able to read without bothering anyone. And soon I was way into books. And boy! Am i glad or what! :)

In the summer when I was in grade 4, a friend gave me "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" and I was crazy because of it. It really opened a new door for me, a door of books and the book lovers.

Harry Potter series really turned a lot of people into readers :P

Yup.
I'm one among those:D
Best series ever!! And still my go-to book too<3
You've read it Arpit?

Victoria wrote: "In the summer when I was in grade 4, a friend gave me "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" and I was crazy because of it. It really opened a new door for me, a door of books and the book lovers."

You Read Chamber of secrets before Philosopher's Stone ?

Palash wrote: "Victoria wrote: "In the summer when I was in grade 4, a friend gave me "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" and I was crazy because of it. It really opened a new door for me, a door of books a..."

Yee! Rowling introduced essentially in the first part of the book. i still understand. :))

After finished part 2, I read HP 6 and 5 =)))

Victoria wrote: "Palash wrote: "Victoria wrote: "In the summer when I was in grade 4, a friend gave me "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" and I was crazy because of it. It really opened a new door for me, a ..."
Dafaq. How did you understand book five and six without reading 3 rd and 4th book? Had you watched the movie before starting the series?

I started reading because of my mom. Every weekend we would walk to the library and pick out a book. Sometimes she would read her books while I read mine. But when she started getting real sick and couldn't see to read anymore, she would ask me to read to her. So every weekend I would go to the library and pick out a book I thought we'd both enjoy. I would come home and read it to her. I was also fortunate enough to have a few teachers who encouraged reading, and gave out little rewards for achieving the reading goals they set. But the majority of my love of reading came from my mother. When she passed I found it hard to read as much as I once had. So I've been working to change that. Just recently I made a challenge for myself to read every book I have in my Kindle. Starting from the bottom and making my way to the top. Its going well so far.

Palash wrote: "Victoria wrote: "Palash wrote: "Victoria wrote: "In the summer when I was in grade 4, a friend gave me "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" and I was crazy because of it. It really opened a ne..."

I finished part 5 and started watching film. :D

I started from the very basic comic books. When i was very little like 2 or 3 years old, my mom used to give me those and i used to stare at it, so that she could have a bath or something. I started reading those out of the fascination of those pictures, even before going to school. My mom is my first teacher. Then my dad encourged me to read and got me books. He is a good reader. My first books were kalikudukka, balarama, aesop fables, Thenaliraman stories, Vikramaditya stories etc. I got inot the novel world with ' Nalukettu' by M T Vasudevan nair. In english my first book was Sherlock Holmes. I read nancy drew series, famous five series, goosebump series etc.

I got a plate of green eggs and ham and started flipping pages

I started reading and loving books thanks to my parents. They never went to school so they learned to read all by themselves. Books were treasures for them, they contained secrets that they could not decipher. So they taught their chidren that reading was the most important thing on earth, that books were the most amazing, wonderful items in this world, that you could learn so much thanks to them... And they were completely right! So when I was 5, I started reading my school books, and I've never stopped...

I have started it with reading non-story(interesting)-academic books(boring). I get to read the first story book a month ago, started with "If Tomorrow Comes". I fathomed the plot a bit fragile somewhere. I am looking forward to get enthralled by story books,I am new here! Don't troll me :p. Thank you.

How does one get into reading? I really don't know. It was a process that took place over several years, I guess.

It started back in junior high school. I good mate of mine bought me this brick of a book for my birthday. I think you might have heard of it: The Lord of the Rings.

It was just laying in my bookshelf for months and months. Then one day I decided I would give it a shot. It was easter and we were going to our cabin. My uncle and aunt was visiting. So I wanted to impress them. I boiled some water. Put a teabag in a big cup. Poured the water and padded into the living. I opened up the book to the first page and started reading. First one word, then two. A page. Two pages. Then my uncle said:
"What's the matter with you. Reading? And a book that looks like a brick. I'd never spend my time doing something that stupid."
I was too stubborn to stop reading. So I forced myself through the first chapter and didn't pick it up again.

In fact I didn't pick up a book for years. I spent my evening watching Friends. Alley McBeal. E.R. Poisoning my mind.

Then I got older. I was drafted. Did my service. Then went to Paris.

The first month or two I didn't have any friends. No television either. So what do you do? You walk, off course. You walk and walk and walk. Look at people. Look at parks. Buy beers. Stop at shops. Book shops. You find an English bookstore. You buy some books. Frankenstein. Moby Dick. Jean D'Arc. You remember you brought a book. A brick of a book you've tried to read before.
You get a friend who've just finished reading a book and gives it to you.

That's how you start to read. You fail. You try again. You succeed.

At least that's how I did it.

I started reading via Scholastic's sales program in my school. Some of the first books I read was a four-part sci fi series called "My Teacher is from Outer Space!" It sounds silly, but it was quite imaginative. My mother also read to me and my brother and sister "Superfudge" by Judy Blume. We loved the voice she made for the title character.

How did I start reading? It was way back in school. We were told to read books and every class in my school had a small library. Add to that, my father was an avid reader and had fairly impressive library. I still have most of his collection. Besides, to find out anything, we had to read books. Most of all we did not have the idiot box and the digital mobiles back then. Once you form the reading habit, you get addicted to it. So, basically it is your school teachers and your parents to create that interest in you.

Annette wrote: "wow , that is so sweet Luna :) You have a great mom ..She influenced you to read My mom on the other hand scolds me
because whenever i am at home, you can see me with a book in hand and this really..."


Same case here , at my home whenever i pick a book to read then everyone will comments me like "are you preparing for exams"

Jenny wrote: "okay,so this might be embarassing. I've been reading books since a year and half. I wasn't intrested in reading books ,but one day my best friend convinced me to read two of her favourite books(Gon..."


hey , for me as well "The Alchemist " by paulo coehlo was the first novel which has impressed me a lot and after that i have read his novels "Eleven Minutes" "Adultery" (didn't like them much ).