Rantings of a Book Worm

     I've been thinking a lot lately of how I've developed a bit of a social distaste towards others who don't read. Now, there's a huge difference between people who admit they don't try & those who simply state "I don't like reading." What's not to like!? Not to sound super captain-obvious, but language and literature are a huge factor in the progression of human civilization! It breaks my heart to see the foundations of physical handwriting crumbling in our education system, and children are spending more time with electronics and less time with books. HOW DOES ONE SIMPLY NOT LONG FOR THE SMELL OF OLD BOOKS!?


(By the way, that smell is caused by lignin, a polymer that enhances the life of paper. You can buy "old book scented" candles in specialty shops. That is a hint that someone should purchase said candle, and gift it to me!)

     Now, back to my rant. I understand not having time to read: I have a 30 book challenge I'm hoping to conquer over the course of this year, yet I've hit a lull in my reading routine and am currently only on book 6/30...which is not quite as good of a pace as I'd hoped. However, with the turn of beautiful weather, it's been easy returning to my old routine of sitting in the warm sunshine with a book in my hands! Those people who claim they hate reading have never experienced that joy. That emptiness after finishing a book you didn't want to end. That longing towards fictional characters you just wish existed in real life. Occasionally, the rage you feel after completing a "bad book" when you had a stack of perfectly lovely books you'd have much rather read.

     Do they not understand that cliche saying "When you get knocked down, dust yourself and get back up"? I know that saying is fairly applicable to anything, so why should someone who has had a couple of bad reading experiences deter them enough to say they dislike all books? Perhaps they just have yet to find the perfect book or genre suited to their tastes? I'm on a never ending mission to encourage --nay, force-- reading onto my friends and family. I vow to be that person who gifts books for every occasion! You know why? BECAUSE BOOKS AREN'T LAME, and I will continue to try and prove that. The satisfaction I get from reading books is something I believe every person is entitled to, and I hope to inspire others to share their books and write their thoughts and share them, for what use is language and writing if we never utilize their purpose: to reach new worlds of thought.