The Adventures of a Bibliophile

A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.
George R. R. Martin

Why do I read? Why am I a such an avid bookworm?

I read because books are amazing. They take me anywhere, and everywhere, as I sit in the comfort and tranquility of my home, drinking coffee, with my cozy blue blanket tucked under my toes. I can tell you some of the adventures I've had.

I've been on the edge of my seat, following the adventures of Katniss Everdeen. I read The Hunger Games in one Friday night, emerging around 12:30 Saturday morning, craving to know the rest of the story.

I've been infuriated. While reading Back Roads, I realized the author was going to kill off my favorite character: a beautiful middle-aged blond woman in jeans and bare feet. I threw the book angrily in the back of the car, and refused to read the rest. Until I finally picked it up again weeks later because I decided I still had to know how it ended.

I've suffered, gallantly suffered, through Jane Eyre. That book, my god. It finally improved towards the middle, but I will never read another Charlotte Brontë book again unless my life depends on it.

I was truly captivated and saddened by Quasimodo’s undying love for Esmerelda in the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

I get excited and happy at the thought of my favorite scenes in The Scarlet Pimpernel.

I've experienced the apprehension of fear of the French Revolution, via books like A Tale of Two Cities, and In the Reign of Terror. I remember when I read In the Reign of Terror, I lived for weeks afterwards always feeling like I had to be careful of what I said, else be in grave danger of the guillotine. My brain was so overtaken by the story.

I've been entertained and captivated by easy books like The Maze Runner; and I've been challenged by intense books like Les Misérables.

These are not just stories to me, these characters are my friends and my family. They are my life. I can’t imagine a life in which I didn't read. I’m thankful for the childhood I was given, where books were my life. Yes, there were negatives. I was not allowed to read many books written after the 1960's. But, because of that, I discovered books like The Seagulls Woke Me, and The Tunnel of Hugsy Goode.

I actually get angry with authors. Sometimes, I don’t agree with them, with how they craft the stories. I have no right to this of course. I may not be able to tell a better story. Sometimes, I’m wrong. I was furious with Gillian Flynn, at how she ended Gone Girl. I feel like at least one or both of the main characters should have ended up dead. But, after seeing the big screen adaption, and thinking on it some more, I realized she was right. They were both such diabolical characters, they deserved to end up together.

There are limitless worlds for you to experience. There is a book for EVERYONE. If you decide you don’t like a book, if it’s not your cup of tea, simply put it down, and pick up another.

I love books, they are my friends.

This post is part of the 31 Days of Bibliophilia series.