Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible
and wisest of counsellors, and the most patient of teachers. – Charles W. Eliot
Reading is as essential as breathing to me.
I’ve been an avid reader as far back as I can remember. My parents started reading to me as a very young child, and I surprised them by reading on my own long before it was taught in school. At first, they thought I was faking it and that I was only repeating the words from memory.
During all the changes I’ve gone through in my life, good and not so good, books have always been there to provide entertainment,inspiration, escape, advice and so much more.
It should come as no surprise that I particularly enjoy books about cats as well as other animals, and I offer a wide selection of my favorites on my Reading List.
My “to be read” pile is usually out of control, and I like it that way. In fact, I get a little twitchy when the pile gets too low. Between the books I see reviewed on some of my favorite book blogs, the books I find browsing at my hometown Barnes and Noble store, and the books publicists and authors send me for review, I don’t think I have to worry about running out of reading material anytime soon.
I usually read at least two or three books at the same time. Currently, I’m reading South of Broad by Pat Conroy, The Nine Emotional Lives of Cats by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, and a German women’s magazine (a way for me to try and keep up with my native language).
What are you currently reading?
I always have a book in the car and one that I am reading in the house. I adore books. I have South of Broad to read. I am reading Islands by Anne River Simmonds. You can see what I read this week on my blog. Have a good week.
I love to read too. Right now I’m reading “The Foundation” by Isaac Asimov.
At one time I read two or three books at once, but nowadays not anymore.
Kisses
Wow, that’s some heavy duty reading, Marilia.
Right now I am also reading The Nine Emotional Lives of Cats. In addition I am reading “Cat in an Orange Twist”.
I love the Midnight Louie series, Candace!
Right now I”m reading The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo. I saw the movie and finally got around to reading the book. However, I start school in a little over a week and am only on page 100 of 489. I don’t think I’ll finish. I love Pat Conroy! Did you ever read The Water is Wide? I read it in college for a class and it is still one of the best books I have ever read. (Along with Buckley’s Story, which made me cry like a baby).
I’ve read everything by Pat Conroy, Dawn. I think “The Great Santini” is still my favorite. I don’t think it’s his first, but it’s one of the earlier ones. I’m honored to have “The Water is Wide” mentioned in the same breath as “Buckley’s Story!”
so nice to see some of my favorite books listed here among the comments, from Auel to Hodgekins..
I am having a hard time reading actual books right now so I’m listening to them on tape (CD actually) but I did run into a sale yesterday and I picked up two paperbacks simply because they had cats on the front cover. I kept thinking how wrong it was to pick a book by it’s cover, but the kitty lover in me kept calling out, But they have CATS! on the cover.. and so they came home with me 🙂
I frequently buy books because of their covers, Connie, or at the very least, a great cover will peak my interest. When I buy online, I tend to go by reviews, but when I go to the book store, a great cover is always the first thing that makes me pick up a book. And if there’s a cat on the cover… well, chances are pretty good the book will go home with me!
I have always been a shy and introverted person. Not so much now, but very much so when I was younger. Tough childhood…. anyhow, books were my salvation and my friends. I always checked out a dozen books at a time from the library and I would instantly be absorbed into each and every story I read. Now, at 50 years old, I have taken that passion and turned it into a dream come true – I wrote a book!!
The most recent book I just read was called “Until Tuesday – A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retreiver who Saved Him.” I plan on reviewing this very good book on my blog in the next month if I can find the time!
I’m looking forward to your review of “Until Tuesday,” Deb – it sounds intriguing.
I remember reading out headlines from the newspaper to my parents at age 4 and 5. I’ve visited my same local public library all my life (literally), and have a stack of reading material on hand all the time. Now I listen to recorded books since my eyesight requires larger print for extended periods of reading (or it would take me months to finish one book!), but I truly enjoy this just as much–imagine someone who follows you around the house and tells you a story! I have CD players in every room and listen during laundry and dishes and painting and even yoga sometimes when I “can’t put it down”. I still refer to it as “reading a book”, though, not “listening” as it seems confusing to most people. During meals, however, is when I catch up on my magazine reading.
Right now I have seven recorded volumes on hand, including thrillers by Kathy Reichs and John Sandford, “So Much for All That” as a fiction selection by Lionel Shriver and “The Land of Painted Caves” by Jean M. Auel–not the best storyteller, and I think she goes for length rather than depth, but the series has been interesting because I know she has world-renowned experts advising her on the details. This is the one I’ve been waiting for, about the culture that created the Caves at Lascaux. I recently read “South of Broad” by Pat Conroy, and, Lori, truly enjoy the stories set in natural areas by Nevada Barr as well as Annas relationship with her cat and dog, Taco and…oh, I can’t remember! Looking forward to a quiet rainy day in my studio with “Painted Caves”.
I, too, enjoy reading Nevada Barr – and I can’t remember the dog’s name, either!
Ingrid, wo hast du denn die Brigitte her? Die wuerd ich jetzt auch gern lesen,heute gibts zum lesen leider nur lessons from my class I’m taking.
Hallo Britta! How nice to “meet” a German reader! Du kannst die Brigitte von dem link von Amazon abonnieren, oder von GLPNews.com http://www.glpnews.com/EN/index.html
Danke, falls du mal deutsches fernsehn angucken will dann geh zu rtl.now.weiss nicht ob du das schon kennst.
Das ist ja toll! Dankeschoen, Britta!
Ist doch gern geschehen.Viel spass beim gucken.Mitten im leben ist aktuell und manchmal sehr lustig.
I’ve been reading since I was 4 and from that day on I have never been without a book or two at hand. My to-be-read pile is enormous. I often wonder if I will ever get through them all because there is always a new book or two or three or four to add to the pile.
I’m currently switching between three books – “Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life” by Ellizabeth Hodgkins, DVM, “Get Political for Animals and Win the Laws They Need” by Julie E. Lewin, and “Winter Study”, a mystery by Nevada Barr.
Isn’t “Your Cat” fabulous, Lori? I’m adding your other two to my TBR list!
I love to read too. I am in between books and get started on one today. I think it is very important to read. I do like to read mysteries and of course cat and dog books. I have a dog book here that I really need to start on. It is so hard to decide which one to read now. Take care.
That’s why I usually read more than one at a time, Marg – it’s too hard to decide!