Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Reading fiction

Okay, I love it when an article comes along right when I need to read it. After my ranting about "books dying", I found this essay about why we read fiction.   The author talks about a book I've not read but the ideas about are universal.  Why read fiction?  Too many people think it's a waste of time.  But the details, the stories, the universal truths found in fiction stories bring us together, remind us to be human. 

Too many times I feel guilty at the end of the day if I want to read.  I mean, I'm around books all day, right?  But as any librarian can tell you, there's little, if any, time to read at work.  I read less now than I did when I was a classroom teacher and most people don't believe me.  But this author shows how--even as a busy father with two children under the age of two, he found time to read a book.  And if he can then some can I.

It reminds me of something I saw years ago.  If a person reads just 15 minutes a day, you can finish a book.  My math skills are poor so I don't remember all the numbers, but it was something like 15 minutes times 60 words per minute times four for an hour........or close to that. (I wish I  had known how much math I would really need in my life--I would have paid much more attention!!!!)

And I could have used this article with my boss--not only are books not dying out, we should all be reading every day.

No comments:

Post a Comment