Five Fabulous Books is an original feature here at Big Book Little Book. The aim of the feature is to showcase fabulous books and bookish things, with connecting themes, there by promoting reads we have enjoyed and sharing recommendations for similar books. We love to share contributions from fellow bibliophiles, bloggers, vloggers and twitter users. We love to hear from you too, so don’t forget to comment with your favourite themed books. You are very welcome to use the Five Fabulous feature on your own blog just be sure to link back to Big Book Little Book and leave your link in the comments below so we can check out your recommendations! Feel free to copy and paste our Fabulou5 graphic or create one of your own.
Reasons to read are fairly infinite, any book lover will tell you that! So being one of the latter category I have attempted to narrow it down to….well lets say five :p
To Learn
It’s the main and most commonly acknowledged reason to read. It’s probably a bit of a boring one too but to be honest it’s the truth. There is so much to be learnt and not just from textbooks and autobiographies. Even the most outlandishly impossible fantasies are initially constructed from our reality, and are designed by a mind who’s reality is very much our own so it stands to reason that something of our world will transpire and linger. And even if you don’t feel this is the case emotionally books can make you grow and learn volumes, no pun intended! For instance which of you who has read Pride and Prejudice can say they didn’t learn a thing or two about that point in time in history, and/or appreciated the subtle but strong characters and their speech which delivers strong sentiments shrouded in politeness but cutting nevertheless.
But we don’t have to look that far back in our literature history, Harry Potter has touched the lives of many young and old, and continues to do so. It has given some the courage to come out of their shell, it has brought people together, helped those who struggled to make friends, and it is an emotionally touching story.
To open your mind and stimulate your imagination
I think anyone who has even attempted to read (let alone actually finished it) The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter,His Dark Materials etc can appreciate that the minds that create these worlds are vastly imaginative and know no bounds. It stands to reason (and again has been scientifically proven) that the more you read the more your mind becomes inquisitive and starts to give shape to what you’re reading, and before you know it you’ll be imagining your own worlds and stories, and if we’re lucky you’ll write them down and share them with us. The mind is a muscle and as such needs exercise including the creative aspect of it. A famous Italian poet once said it is an endeavor to keep our inner child and imagination alive and through it our youth; and what better way to do it than by reading!
To de-stress/relax
Because sometimes there is nothing more relaxing that curling up on a sofa, with a giant mug of tea (yes even in the summer- it could be iced tea!) and disappearing into a good book, someone else’s life, a new adventure, a new world…
And just because I am a proud bookish geek through and through, it has been scientifically proven that us bookworms lead a more stress free life because we have found a healthy way of disconnecting the old noodle for a while and relaxing. It’s better than yoga!!!
Ok so these are the main “serious reasons” that a good normal sensible adult should say. And now for the real bookworm reasons!!!
To Escape
I have to admit there are infinite reasons why people read but this is the main reason I read. I love nothing better than to dive headfirst into a book, a life, a new quest, a new world and escape my own with all it’s troubles. Admittedly eventually I have to resurface (sadly) but escaping to a new place or even an old place that you are revisiting because you loved it so much the first 50 times you read it is one of the best feelings in the world. Time can speed up and slow down as you please, you can choose excitement, horror, romance or comedy or all of them at every turn of a page. You can identify with characters, make them your friends or enemies, change them in your mind, give them new adventures when the book is over if you’re not ready to let go yet. Your options are endless all you need to do is open the first page and tune the world out for a bit.
Best feeling ever.
It’s Fun
For all the afore mentioned reasons reading cannot be described as anything short of fun, exhilarating, exciting and basically AMAZING!!!
Ever tried reading the same book as a friend, starting it at the same time, in the same living room, on the same sofa? Our fearless leader, Caroline, and I have done it several times and it’s soooo much fun! The giggles, the gasps, the blushing and the inevitable shock horror look we gave each other as we both looked up at the same time is priceless and a wonderfully cherished memory. Try it!
I could go on and on and basically write you a whole dissertation on how books teach you so much and reading is an amazing thing, but you’re not reading this post so that I can put you to sleep (there’s another reason to read! Lol) so all I’ll say is that books are genuinely awesome, and if you don’t believe me get a good recommendation, turn the first page, open your mind and read…and then you will see.
Posted by Pruedence