I went to a library on Thursday, for the first time in ages. People who know me, or knew me when I was younger, will know that I like to read - I could often be found with my head in a book. I've been lucky enough to live with books around me since I was little, and we have so many books in our house. Before Mum left her house for the final time, she told me to take any of her books that I wanted, and that was not the first time she passed books on to me.
The difference this time is that I could hardly put this book down. Very often these days, I will start reading in the evening, just after getting into bed, and before long my eyes get heavy, and it is not long after that that I'm asleep. This book had me gripped from the start; it was Christopher's Diary: Secrets if Foxworth, by Virginia Andrews (well, published under her name, although she died in 1986 - however, it ties in with the Flowers In the Attic stories).
I read the Flowers in the Attic series in the early 1990's, when still at school (at the time, much more interesting than Far From The Madding Crowd), and there are oarts of it that I remember, but much more that I've forgotten.
What sort of a reader are you? I like to finish a book, even if I haven't particularly enjoyed it, because I like to get to the end of things - feel that sense of accomplishment. Mind you, I don't remember if I finished The Millstone, by Margaret Drabble - I remember thinking of it as Dribble Drabble.
Our local libraries have changed - they no longer seem to be the place of silence and whispered conversations - they are much more lively. The books are put on display, a display which changes regularly, to tempt you. A couple of years ago, in December, our local library wrapped up some books in Christmas wrapping paper, encouraged us to borrow a book, and open it on Christmas Day, with a return date in January. How great - an extra present!
This present leads me to think about a Christmas tradition that we've started in our family, which - according to Facebook - originated in Iceland. On Christmas Eve we give each other a book - and the idea is to sit and read it then. As a child, I was always delighted to get a book as a present - either for Christmas or for my birthday - and not much has changed now. Mum used to ask for a box of Maltesers and a Dick Francis book. And who can forget the thrill of the Puffin Book Club leaflet - having to make a decision as to which book I would choose to spend my pocket money on? I still have those books - I Like This Poem, James and The Giant Peach - I think My Secret Files may have gone though.
I confess to hoarding books. Yesterday my husband took some books to the charity shop down the road - I had had a bit of a clear out about six months ago, and hadn't got round to donating the books. If I am the book hoarder I claim to be, how can I give up some of my bekoved books? Well, some of them were not so beloved - some I knew I wouldn't read again - they were more of the 'chick-lit' genre. Some if the books I sold - they were text books and academic books, that had a monetary value - payable by apps such as Ziffit and We Buy Books. The ones I donated had no such value to the apps.
The difficulty I had with book tokens (which were a prized present), was deciding which books to get - there were just so many to choose from. In the days of emails and interent it is a little easier - we can browse the titles before we get to the shop - and may have already made our decision before we step foot in the bookshop. Very shortly I expect to get the next George Smiley book, and the latest Robert Langdon adventure. I have devoured the books of John le Carré and Dan Brown, but some stand out more than others for me. I can read and re-read Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy year after year.
Some books we don't appreciate until we are much older - this was the case for me with The Chalet School books - I can happily ready those again now. Other books we come back to time after time - they are like a security blanket, a favourite toy, a warm blanket, quilt or duvet.
What are you reading now? I'm going to persevere with The Cuckoo's Calling, and will then try to make my way through the many other unread books I have.
What is your favourite book? It would be lovely to see people comment with answers to some of the questions I've asked - because if nothing else is answered, the one about your favourite book could lead to others of us finding that same enjoyment.
On a rainy grey day like it is today, what is better then curling up with a good book?
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