Thursday, March 18, 2010

Why do you like to read?

I love to read. I've never asked why. I just DO. But every now and then someone says to me "I hate to read". And I find myself wondering, with a sense of loss for that person "how can you not love reading?".

So I'm asking you - what makes reading so much of a pleasure to you?

It might be escapism. I love to read about faraway worlds and unreal places. Fantasy and science fiction are some of my favorite fictional reads; so is historical romance. All are escapist.

But that's not everything I love to read. I read snarky stories set in high school, and teen boy action-adventure tales. I read science, a LOT of science. I read stories about cats, and sometimes dogs. I read historical fiction about real people.

I guess that reading just fulfills my curiosity. I can ask "what's it like to live in a far off place?" and get an answer. I can ask what a black hole is, and get a different answer. Each fulfills an itch. Each inspires a sense of wonder, awe and satisfaction. So that's why I read.

Why do you?

No comments: