Why I Love Reading, or "How I Became a Librarian"

I love to read. I've been reading for about 22 or 23 years now, and I can't imagine NOT being able to read. It gives one a new appreciation for literacy when you stop to think about what life would be like if you weren't able to read. For starters, you wouldn't be reading this blog. Secondly, your access to knowledge would be limited to things you hear and experience, rather than the boundless abyss of information sources that are available to those of us with the ability to read.

I love being able to read. One of the most exciting feelings for me is what I experience when I walk into a library or bookstore - an overwhelming awe at the treasures that surround me. "Where to start?," I ask myself. And the beauty of these places is that you can start anywhere, and who knows that you'll end up with.

I used several gift certificates this past weekend to buy four books. Three of them are titles that were not on my radar at all, until I saw them and realized they were what was missing from my personal library. I purchased God's Politics by Jim Wallis, Jenny by Sigrid Undset, Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella, and Pilate's Wife: a novel of the Roman Empire by Antoinette May. Now, I will happily admit that I went into Barnes and Noble intending to purchase the next book in my most recent fiction addiction - the Shopaholic series. I have no shame in admitting that I think those are seriously fun reading.

The other three, however, were spurred by different interests that I have. First, I don't know very much about politics and have never taken the time to read anything about it. I was the supervisor at Covenant Bookstore (before The Man put us out of business), and we could not keep God's Politics on the shelves. I saw it, and it was like finding the perfect piece of furniture, or coming across a great bargain on a shirt you've always wanted - I knew I had to read it. especially in light of the upcoming election and the various primaries making their way across the country.

I love things Swedish, and more broadly, Scandinavia. Undset won a Pulitzer prize in 1928 for the body of her work, which included Kristin Lavransdatter, a huge volume which I enjoyed reading last year. I saw Jenny by Undset, and knew that the two of use would get along quite well. (well, that and the fact that the mother of the man I am seeing is named Jenny...)

And finally, I greatly enjoy reading historical fiction. Pilate's Wife was on display at Borders, and the description on the back just pulled me in. I really lose myself in thinking about how various characters throughout history may have responded to the situations that they found themselves in. Who was Pontius Pilate's wife? How might she have seen the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion? It is something I have fun thinking about.

Books amaze me. They can be so many things to thousands, even millions of people. Books can be therapeutic, comforting, and intensely personal. The same book can give different messages to each of its readers. And this is one of the reasons I am becoming a librarian. I love speaking with people about books that they are experiencing, and hearing what they enjoy and dislike. I may have had a completely different reaction to the title they are reading. And that is what makes discussion so interesting. What would you say to someone who felt the same way about a particular title? You can only praise it for so long. But in a discussion, with various view points, you really have to verbalize your thoughts, and respond to specific items that you may either have loved or disliked intensely. It can get heated. I think its great.

I'm currently reading All He Ever Wanted by Anita Shreve. Shreve's name had come up during our RA class, and I had never read any of her titles. It is really interesting so far, and not what I expected at all. The language is very proper and elegant, and it is written from a male perspective. It is also set at the turn of the century, which is something else that I was not aware of when I picked it up. I'm enjoying the New England-esque atmosphere of the book. I'll let you know more once I finish.