Book freaks discussion

I have always read, i don't know when i started but i loved reading when i was very little and i didn't get addicted to the t.v. until i was older.

Reading is so fun, its like a whole new universe!

As a kid, I was beaten, sexually abused, ridiculed and humiliated. I became selectively mute and deeply depressed. Luckily though, we lived beside a library and, as that was the only place I was allowed to go alone, I sought solace in the world of books. And I can say, with no melodrama nor exaggeration, that books and reading saved my life. I will always promote literacy until I die. @bookmark_terry

When I was younger I actually hated reading!
Then I was introduced to the Harry Potter series and I was hooked; suddenly I had a book everywhere I went.
And ever since then I've been a total and complete bibliophile.

My favourite memories of childhood are those where my Mother, Grandmother(s) and Aunt all read to myself and my siblings and cousins. Once I was able to read on my own it was a fight to get me to put away my books and go to bed, and the perfect punishment when I truly acted out of turn was to take away my beloved library card. My second favourite memory is the fact that for major holidays, I would receive a book or 2 or 10. Literarily spoiled, oh I think so.

I have every intention to raise my children the same way - and I revel reading to the children in my care at Preschool.

my dad and mom did not read books much when I was little but they always had a daily newspaper and many magazines. When my sister was born, my dad bought this series of books called "Childcraft" and they had the most glorious pictures. Once of the books was full of nursery rhymes which my mom would read to us and fairy tales that my dad would read to us. I used to sit looking at the pictures wishing I could understand the words. My babysitter (my mom worked) taught me simple words and sponsored my first library card just before I started kindergarten. Once I learned the alphabet off I was. I was one of those readers who was through the story while the rest of the class was only partway through. By the time I was in 4th grade I was reading at the 12th grade level. I learned to read really fast because I wanted to find out the ending to the story as quickly as possible. I was very shy and did not have many friends but there were always books and stories. I am still in love with a good story. I go to the library twice a week and buy maybe 3 books a month, usually paperbacks.

I use to HATE reading until up to fifth grade. Before I was a terrible, it took me about three months to read a book like Terri Farley's horse series. Then my mom signed me up to this place where after school they helped me. I am so grateful that it happen. Now I can read book within a day or two, it's unbelieveable it took me three months to read a short book once. Haha.

It's hard to imagine my life without books. They bring me so much joy, and in a way you learn things. At school I'm called a bookworm even though I do more than just reading. Everyone teases me about reading so fast, it's funny. Haha.

I always liked reading till the school library ran out of decent books.
I really began to read obsessively when I went backpacking and with zilch language skills invested in about 15 books over the 2 months I was away. Since then I have spent countless hours buying books and reading them on trains, in bed, when I should be studying and while babysitting my pups.

I didn't always love to read. In fact, I used to dislike it and it was probably at one time I wasn't very good at reading.
But, I had to read books for school and so one day my mom took me to Borders to pick out some books that I might enjoy reading. I can't remember all the books I got, but I do remember the two I got that day that got me into reading. It was The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and Slam! by Walter Dean Myers. After reading those books, I started reading all the time and ever since then I have loved to read.

My family has always been big on reading so it wasn't hard for me to get started on it, but the real reason is I always forget where I am when I read, its like the world vanishes, anythings possible, and its only me and my book, and I know that sounds realy cliche but its just how it is for me.
Thats why I'm so into fantasy. Everythings possible. Want wings? Fine you can have them. How about talking animals? Or maybe genies? Go on ahead, no problem there. Whatevers there IS possible. And it IS real. Who cares if its different?
No one. Thats why I love reading.

I always loved the comfort and safety of the library, I spent a great deal of time there reading book after book. I was alone a lot as a child I guess, and lived inside my head and in books.

Paul wrote: "I always loved the comfort and safety of the library, I spent a great deal of time there reading book after book. I was alone a lot as a child I guess, and lived inside my head and in books."

Paul - I spent a lot of time in the library and hiding out at home reading. It was a safe place for me too.

Like Paul, I was alone when I was a child, and my safety net, so to speak, has been books. My parents divoriced when I was about five years old, and it took a heavy toll on me in my personal life. I had to switch schools and was forced to go from house to house each week. As a result, twelve years later, I am still unsure of myself and shy. I don't talk to people, my social life is very small, and I perfer to be by myself than with other people. To make up for the lack of friends and a social life, I turned to books. I have always had an active imagination, and when my parents and family would fight, I sought any comfort to get away from what I call my own personal war. Books have been my savior for the passed years, and still are today. They can take me a place that is free of the hastles of life, allowing you, as the reader, to do things you could never do in your day to day life.
Books are my saving grace, and they always will be. I don't care if I have to spend my life alone. Of course, I will always have friends and seek out that certain someone I want to stend the rest of my life with, but until then, I will always read. Who knows? I might even find my friends and lovers through my books. I'll never give them up.

I love reading because i can escape from the real world and the stresses of life and school. also reading has improved my grammer and vocabulary.
I do not know how i started to love reading.

I feel like any time I don't read for a long amount of time everything good about life just becomes dry and unsatisfactory

I can't remember my age then .but I remember that I started to read anything that I could found (verse/prose) (novels or scientific books ) anything . but with the time I started to choose what I prefer to read which is mostly the novels

Reading just opens a new space for me to just be. In here it's just me and the new world. Just for a few moments (well...maybe hours) time stops!

Ya I've noticed that when you're reading an especially captivating novel time just seems to disappear. And then suddenly you snap out of your daze and realized you're straining your eyes in the dark.

Gorfo wrote: "Ya I've noticed that when you're reading an especially captivating novel time just seems to disappear. And then suddenly you snap out of your daze and realized you're straining your eyes in the dark."

Or blinking to try to keep tired eyes functioning ;-)

Yes! A lot of the time I'm like...ok I'll put it down in 10 mins and ten mins comes and goes until its 5 am and I haven't done anything in the real world!

I have loved books my entire life. There is a picture of me when I was about 3 years old sitting on our couch with my nose stuck in a book. Since then, I have spent untold hours lost between covers. Reading takes you to far off and imagined places, on dangerously exciting adventures; it allows you to meet all sorts of dashing, funny, intriguing and disaster-prone characters, listen to their thoughts, share their emotions, cheer them on, and watch as their story unfolds.

Dara wrote: "I have loved books my entire life. There is a picture of me when I was about 3 years old sitting on our couch with my nose stuck in a book. Since then, I have spent untold hours lost between covers..."

So well said Dara. That's exactly why I love to read. Plus if you read, you can do anything and go anywhere whether in real life or through a book.

As a child, during summer our local library would have a reading contest...how many books can you read over the summer...been hooked ever since!!!

My dad would always be reading a book; by the 2nd or 3rd grade I realized I was hooked when I would read the ingredients on the cereal box for fun!

Ghira wrote: "My dad would always be reading a book; by the 2nd or 3rd grade I realized I was hooked when I would read the ingredients on the cereal box for fun!"

Oooh I thought I was the only one who ended up reading the cereal box because I was hooked. Nice to know i have company.

In general I get my love of reading from my paternal family they were always very booky, my parents divorced when I was young but my Dad came to my house every Thurs and Sun ev and read us next chapter of a book - I remember '101 Dalmatians' and 'Wind in the Willows' being 2 he read to us at bedtime. I was reading the broadsheet newspapers by around age 7 much to my grandfathers delight, he had an eye op and couldn't see for a while so I used to sit in garden reading to him.....I always remember piles of library books at my grandparents they used to get through 6 or 7 each a week. This all came full circle a year ago when my grandfather was taken seriously ill....he lost his sight in last year of his life which was so sad for such a bookaholic though we did get him into audio books then, 2 days before he died he asked me to sit with him and read the newspaper, one of the hardest most emotional things I have ever had to do.....but also a memory I now treasure. I attribute my love of reading mainly to him, he was a fantastic storyteller, I have lovely memories of holidays when I was young where he would read Brer Rabbit to me or make up his own exciting stories.

Both my parents are avid readers, so I guess I got it from them. I have loved books as long as I can remember. According to my mother, I was reading before I got into kindergarten. That would explain why I don't really remember not being able to read. I DO remember her buying workbooks for me all the time. I loved doing those.

I like reading because I enjoy learning new things, seeing different viewpoints, and being sucked into a story to the point where I don't want to sleep or eat, I just want to know what happens next.

Well my first book was a book about some rabbit. I believe I was about 4 years old. I really wanted to show my mom that I could read it on my own, so I memorized all the words. Ever since then I have been a book freak. I've got mountains of books in my room. I read about 3 books a week. If it's a busy week maybe 1.
The thing I most like about it, is that I can just create my own world and leave everything and everybody behind.

I suffered from pretty bad dyslexia as a child, I couldn't read, count or write. My third grade teachers took time out of their busy schedules to sit down with me after school to teach me how to read, write and count. They claimed they saw a ton of potential in me and hated the idea of it going to waste because no one would take the time to teach me properly.

By the end of the year I was reading at third grade level. I was ecstatic about my new found ability and read everything I could get my hands on, by the time I hit 5th grade I was reading at a 9th grade level. I haven't stopped reading since. Every time I pick up a book I silently thank my 3rd grade teachers for their caring and patience.

Mm...
When I was about 6 years old, my friend (also 6) used to go to library pretty often. I so badly wanted to read and get myself a membership card at our town's library, but mom wouldn't let me - said I didn't know how to read, so where's the point.
So, once my friend's mom took me within and made me that card. So... I borrowed some books and at first was afraid to tell mom what I'd done - maybe she gets angry or so. But when it came out, I remember spending afternoons with her, sitting on my bed, reading together. Although she was really rough tracher at times (this was the last summer before school and I really didn't read all to well for almost a 7-year-old but reading came really quickly - by the end of the summer I was so good at it I was among best readers in my class).
So, during first few classes I remember lending really childish books - all pictures and stuff. And comics. I'd lend about 5 or so at a time and next day go back for more - librarians were eventually mad, even. Said that I'd take more at a time so I wouldn't have to come back every day. But I love our library.
It has some kind of essence about it. It's warmer and friendlier compared to other libaries I've been to. There's a library in town next to ours which I'm terrified to go to - those librarians are so stiff and unsmiling and stuff. And there's eerie quietness there. (Not that libraries shouldn't be quiet - but there you feel like someone's going to chop your head off if you drop a needle or something.)
Anyway. My first bigger book I read was probably "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban". I had seen 1st movie, then the 2nd movie... and the day after I saw the 2nd movie, I went to my grandma's house and opened their book-closet and the first thing looking back at me... HP#3. :D I didn't know before that that there was a series and... yeah. But I asked it to read from my grandma and she gave it to me althogether - she had tried to read it but didn't like it at all.
So... nowadays I'm obsessed with books, as my friend said. (We were sitting at a restaurant a few weeks ago and there was so much time until the order came, so I took out my newly puchased book - "The Ambassador's Mission" by Trudi Canavan, thought I'd wait for the paperback but couldn't. And then as I looked at its front and back, she laughed and said: "I might read more than you do but you are the one obsessed." Last year she read 120-something books, I 80.)
I love buying books, I love borrowing them, I love reading them, I love reorganizing them... xD
My family doesn't get my addiction - although everyone but my little sister are happy with it. Sis complains that I should use my money for something more meaningful - like accessories. :D We're completely different persons. She doesn't like the fact that we don't have much room in our room, too. But I still manage to cram them into my corner - flat on other books, behind the other books... and, well, I have crammed out all the teddies and pictures from my shelves to make room to my books, so... :$ (There is still room for things on my desk.)

It's probably my brother's 'fault'. He's eleven years older than me, and when I remember our childhood, he was always behind a book. There's loads of pictures of us where we sit together and read - the first ones date from my when I was an infant, maybe a year old, holding one of his books upside down and staring intently at the script. I adored my brother, so naturally I wanted to be a reader, too. By the time I was five, I had taught myself to read (with the Sesame Street's help, though), which was a big relief, because my parents and my brother never had the time to read to me as much as I would have liked. I remember the feeling of independence quite well.
Nowadays, I think I read much, much more than my brother who between work and kids and a wife doesn't have much time. But books are still the topic we keep going on about whenever we see each other.

Oh.
About reading together.
I visit my grandmother pretty often. But there isn't really anything to do apart from watching the TV, so I always read. Last time my little sister had to read, too. (For school.) So we both read.
But my aunt's 5-year-old girl was there, too. And she was bored - we wouldn't play with her much and then she started bugging me with reading to her. Since I had a book in English within, she told me to translate. But this slowed down my reading. So I took a book from my backpack and gave it to her. So... she sat with us for 2 hours, turning the pages (no pictures) and pretending to read. Occasionally she sighed and told us she has read so little and she'd like to read faster. Then she'd flip two pages or so, and resume staring the pages. At some point she even used a bookmark as a indication of which line she was supposedly reading atm. :D

i dont know ive always liked reading... it was like my escape out of this boring world

I have always loved books. Some of my earliest memories involve trips to the Bookmobile, which stopped in our neighborhood twice a week when I was a child. I still enjoy the smell of libraries and book stores, the feel of a new book in my hands, the excitement of reading a book for the first time. Luckily, most of my children share my passion for reading and reap the benefits associated with this healthy hobby.

Well like my profile says, "I love to run to far away places with my books". It's like entering another world. You enter a world of magic, drama, etc, you control it (choosing the books you want). I like it. I got interested in books when I was 12. Frankly my Dad doensn't care to buy "unneccesary" things as he would put it, so I didn't grow up surronded with books. So anyway I entered a contest thing at Barnes and Nobles. You had to complete a set of reading lists for the summer, then turn it in, you get a book for free. I got my book, I was hesistate because it had no pictures in it lol. But as I started I found myself more drawn to books. Reading made me relax, and I found a way to explore the outside of the world. Because I homeschooled. So now the finished product: A book freak. Heck YEAH!

I think that my love from reading came from when I was a little kid. My dad would read me books every night until I could read the bedtime stories to him. I love reading because there are so many types of books and so many worlds, people, and feelings to experience through them.

I've always loved reading as long as I can remember. I grew up with my mom reading all the time and having a huge book collection and I've just always been fascinated with the idea of living in some unrealistic world with interesting and witty characters. I just love getting lost in a really good book =].

I owe my love of reading to my best friend in elementary school. She always had a book in her hand. Also to my 7th grade English teacher for broadening my interests and challenging me with new material.
Now, you cant find me without a book. There is even one in my car or purse most of the time. Never know when I might find some downtime.

I´m reading because it makes me feel good. Right now my life isn´t the best one and I have found support from books. Reading gives me something else to think about. Have to Paulo Coelho´s books are greatest to me right now.

We had a homework assignment in elementary school to keep a list of books we read over the summer and I wantedto read the most, and I did. I used to het in trouble because after I had to turn my light out at night I would curl up by my window to read by the street light outside. And along the way I found that I could be anyone or go anywhere in a book. As I have grown I have also learned you can forget just about anything while reading a book. I read everyday now. I have to.

I ALWAYS have my nose stuck in a book! I love it! You get lost in someone else world for a few hours. But stories are magical too. My ideal job wold be to own my own secondhand bookshop so I could read my way thru it & incorperate a coffee shop to pass my love on reading on to others!! xx

I haven't love reading for that long, but I am only 13 years old, so I guess I couldn't have loved it for so long, but i think I started love reading when I read Harry Potter, when I was about 11-12 years old, so I think I have loved it since!

I have read books ever since elementary school. Even growing up I was a bookworm & kinda boring to some people. Books are like friends, great company & you always learn important things.

hi all, I am big fan of reading ,beacuse it clears the mind and relieves from the stress and get involved with the stories which sometimes are heart touching.Every week i catch up with a new book to read which are interesting

When I was really young, my mother read to my older sisters in an attempt to interest them in reading. I listened in to their reading sessions and got hooked by "overhearing" them.

My mom is a special ed teacher and used to read to me ALL the time. I guess my favorite book was "Good Night Moon" when I was very young. When I used to get my allowance or birthday money, I would blow it all on books (usually Harry Potter stuff). So I would have to say that it was definitely my incredibly literate mother who started me on my reading journey. I wish I had a lot more time to read now and my "to read" list keeps getting bigger and bigger here on goodreads, but it sometimes gets hard with 2 part time jobs and being a full time student. But I will ALWAYS be a reader! :)

Veronica wrote: "I read because it makes me happy. I was taken away from my family when I was young and put into childrens homes, group homes and foster homes. The first time I got taken away I was so alone, I st..."

Veronica, I've been wanting to get some sort of an ereader, but I've been wondering if it is too similar to reading on a computer? I hate scrolling through things (I would prefer to just turn a page) and sometimes the glare on the screen bothers my eyes. Do you have any suggestions?

I first got into reading because from Jr High all through out High School I had to do summer reading. 3 books every summer from like 3rd grade to 12th. I discovered along the way that I really enjoyed it. And have continued reading on my own ever since.

I've always liked reading. My dad used to read to me every night before bed until I started reading on my own. The books that got me into reading were DEFINITELY Nancy Drew. I've read more than 70 of them and still like them :) I also used to love the whole goosebumps series. But I didn't really start exploring books on my own until I was maybe around 12. Then I started reading the mediator series by Meg Cabot which I absolutely LOVED, which is funny since I always hated the princess diaries, even when I was that young. Ah, sweet memories :)

I love reading because it's a great form of entertainment. It takes you to another world that you could go to everyday by simply opening a book. I got interested in reading by having to walk to and from school everyday. I found out that there was a local library near the school that opened late on school nights. I decided to start doing my homework there instead of at home. I browsed through their books and found several that I liked. I continued to do that while adding more and more books to my account and the next thing you know I'm hooked on reading.