After movies and music, I should discuss my first love--books. I've mentioned before that I truly get lost in books, I've posted my reading list, I've even talked about some of the books I've read.
But books have affected more than the entertainment aspect of my life. At the BYU, I was lucky enough to read lots of books I liked for my master's degree. Somehow, I even got away with writing a thesis on the potential impact of epic fantasy series on adolescent readers. And I passed my thesis defense! That's especially amazing in light of the fact that often fantasy isn't considered a genre worth studying. BYU is ahead of its time when it comes to literary studies.
That isn't all books have done for me. I've learned how to see things from another's perspective in books. I've learned how to cook from books. I've learned how to improve my crocheting from books (my roommate Sharon taught me how to crochet--no books involved. Just a quickly formed addiction to hooks and yarn and impossible projects). I've learned how to craft from books. I've even learned a little parenting and a lot of religion from books. Much like Hermione in the Harry Potter series, if I want to know something, I go to the library and look it up in a book. (Trivia I find on Wikipedia.)
The publishing industry has been suffering lately, mostly due to stock market fluctuations and national belt-tightening and really poor publishing practices (the process in which unsold books are returned to the publisher is just STUPID (pardon my French)). So if you love reading, if you love books, if you love literacy or just want to encourage all of the former, buy a book for someone on your Christmas list. Shoot, buy 'em all one. Doesn't have to be expensive, though it's more helpful if it's not used. Kids' books run as little as $3, nice hardcovers aren't usually more than $30, and you're giving more than just a bunch of paper bound together. Sometimes you end up giving the key that unlocks someone's world.
So there's my plug for books. I love them and I think everyone should. Yay for books!
5 comments:
I enjoyed reading the Harry Potter series while Jessica was reading them also. I was one book ahead of her, but it was great to hear her reaction to things and the questions she had. Knowing not only what is happening in that book, but also the book ahead made me laugh when she tried to figure things out. Sadly she's a little smarter than me and was correct majority of the time, so the rare moments when she was way off I enjoyed.
Yay for books, indeed! I ALWAYS give my children books as presents.
My favorite place I've ever worked is a bookstore (I've worked at 3). I would like to work (even for free) at a library sometime.
I even love math books.
Five people in my family are getting books from me, including the husband and both kids; I expect a buttload of books for Christmas as well, since that's mostly what I've asked for this year.
What do retailers usually do with the books that don't sell?
Amen sister! Books or book money are the BEST gifts in my opinion.
You are a kindred spirit and I'm thankful for all your thankfulness.
Have a happy Thanksgiving.
YAY! I pretty much keep the book industry in business. I am just mad about the poor editing practices which have been going on. I hate when crappy books get published without so much as a second glance by some intern or other. SHEESH!
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