Past and Future of Books
How has reading changed for me? I learned to read in the mid-1980s and grew to love books shortly thereafter. Perhaps “love” isn’t the right word ... obsession might be more accurate. I wanted to read EVERYTHING, and I adored the books I owned. I alphabetized my bookshelves. My sister, five years older than me, would complain to my parents that I was reading her books without asking first. I would lay on the sofa in our living room and read until the back of my head went numb from resting it on the armrest too long, and my mom would grow increasingly enraged at my repeated broken promises to do my chores “as soon as I finish this chapter!” My favorite part of our annual family camping vacation was our trip to the bookstore beforehand when I got to choose books to read on the trip. (Perhaps appropriately, these were usually “Choose Your Own Adventure.” The adventure I chose was to read in the camper instead of enjoying the great outdoors and socializing with my
