Why I Read

When I have time I am going to go back and review a few more of the books I've read this year and maybe re post the book review posts from my other blog. Mostly, I am going to do this so I can save these posts for myself.

I have people all the time upon discovering the number of books I read in a year who seem shocked. They mutter things like, "I don't have time to read." Or, "I haven't finished a book in ten years that didn't rhyme." What I have to say to this is: You make time for what you want to make time for. In other words Reading is my Hobby. Some people collect things, play the piano, scrapbook (endlessly), play bunco, do crafts or (gasp!) exercise. I read. Last year I read over 70 books. The circumstances were unusual. For about 15 months I accepted a job where I spent most of my time sitting endlessly with little to do. I read a lot. This year like the years before last I will probably read around 50. Averaging about 1 book/week. Some books take less, a few take more.

I started writing down in list form the books I read in 2001 because my mom was doing it. I find this archiving very helpful in remembering what I've read and in looking for ideas of new things to read. But in the beginning I got a little obsessed with the listing. You see, I was noticing how much I read and then being the extreme 'A' type personality I am it became a contest to see how much I could read in a year. So the next year (2002) I didn't write any of the books down. By the beginning of 2003 I realized the usefulness of a list and began again only this time without numbering them. When I started blogging I found it very useful to record the books I was reading on my blog. Now I list the books I've read at a website called Goodreads.

I buy a lot of books and I save very few of them. I just don't have the room. I loan them out and give them away. I trade some on a website called Bookins. I try not to buy Hardcovers except from my favorite authors. I do borrow from the library but with my schedule and the location of our library it is not as convenient. My favorite book site is of course Amazon.com and I have been purchasing books from them since 1998. I know this because they have been kind enough to save all of my ordering history (another useful tool). I am a big fan of this website. Although, currently I am trying not to spend too much money on books I still use the site quite a lot. Nothing quite matches going into the book store and browsing (oh how wonderful they smell!) but most of the time I find a book I want to buy and I order it (it is cheaper that way).

So back to my hobby. When do I have time to read? I read every evening before bed. I read every day during my lunch break. (Did I mention that I have a full-time job?) I read while waiting. (While waiting at the doctor's office, for people to show anytime I'm meeting people, while waiting in carline, while waiting anywhere). I always have my book with me. Sometimes if a book is really good I might read instead of sleeping. I used to read for 30 minutes before going into work in the morning but circumstances have changed that.

I read because I enjoy it. I read for my personal entertainment. I do not read to improve my education or for enlightenment. I dislike reading non-fiction. If a book does not keep my attention in the first 100 pages I am not opposed to putting it down and starting another. I do not read books where the central plot is a love story (i.e. trashy romances with women half-clothed embracing hunks on the cover). I do not read horror stories as a general rule although I have read half a dozen of Stephen King's earlier books. I do not read science fiction (although I read a lot of these in my youth). I love legal thrillers and British murder mysteries and thrillers. A few years ago I got a hold of a list of the 100 best book or some such nonsense and shocked at the few books on the list I read I went back and read about 15 more of these. And I did find some surprises but also I reaffirmed my belief that I should read what I enjoy and not what some numchuck has decided should be on a 'best' list.

My favorite authors include: John Grisham, Nevada Barr, James Rollings, Lincoln Child, Maeve Binchy, Steve Martini, Douglas Preston, Matthew Reilly, David Baldacci, Elizabeth Berg, Michael Crichton.. well they just go on and on. I would be hard pressed to name my favorite book of all time but my favorite series is The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon.