On Reading and Books

My sister-in-law has a blog that is really wonderful to read. She is writer so everything flows nicely, her words all link together and things make sense. She spins wonderful stories that make you feel like you know the people involved...which I do but you understand what I mean. She is just a really good writer. I on the other hand, write just like I talk; all over the place! But I digress. What I want to say about Krista’s blog is that she posted this survey she took about books. Krista loves to read. But what amazed me are all the things she likes to read about. Serious things. Polar expeditions and King Arthur and “real novels”. Serious stuff.
So, I started to think about what I read. First let me start off by saying that I love to read. But, what I read is not serious in the least bit. Well maybe the conservation stuff and some political satire, but that is it. I read lots of different things. Magazines, books, articles on-line etc.

But....

about a year and a half ago I adopted a new rule. I will only read things that are fun, have a happy ending or that I am so interested in that it doesn’t matter if they are happy or fun (this is where Al Franken fits in. Although he can be funny, I consider politics in the SERIOUS category). The rule stems from a really tough 2 years that I am just starting to recover from. I was so depressed I just could not handle one more thing. So anything scary, depressing or sad was out! So, I purposely stuck to things like chick lit and the magazine Real Simple. I don’t really like the term “chick lit” but I can’t think of anything else that fits. These were light and airy. Basically I stuck to things that you don’t invest your emotions in. I mean I could understand the characters problems but you knew in the end that everythign would turn out just great.

So what do I like to read:
Well as I said, I like to read things like chick lit, especially ones that take place in London. (Yes, I am an Anglophile)! And even though they basically are all the same I still love to read them. Sometimes I can read one in 2 days. Just depends on what is going on. And some I have read more than once.

Then there the books like “Marley and Me” by John Grogan. I loved this book about a man and his “bad” dog. At the end of the book I cried, ok more like sobbed. The book was funny (some of Marley’s antics were hysterical), touching and yes a bit sad. But at the end of the book after Marley passes away from old age and a good, full life (insert sobbing here), I just knew that the Grogan family went out and got another dog. That was the happy ending for me. Knowing that Marley changed their lives enough for them to be “dog lovers” and as a dog lover, I loved that! I can’t imagine my life without a dog. Yes, I know a huge surprise right?

I also read a lot of wildlife conservation articles ( again on the serious side but since I love wildlife I think it is ok even though it can be a bit sad) and have several “animal books” that are more coffee table picture books of wolves, North American Wildlife etc. I have also been known to read a cook book and a dog training book or two. I consider this Continuing Education Reading, and everyone needs a little of that.

I also collect children’s books so I read a lot of those. Mostly picture books like “Guess How Much I Love You”, “Bunny My Honey”, and the Taxi Dog series. Oh and the Little House on the Prairie series. My favorite, Little House in the Big Woods. I love how they made button strings for Christmas, maple sugar candy etc. I have read that book about 50 times and I still love it every time. ALERT! Christmas idea for Amy if you need one: A hard back copy of Little House in the Big Woods.

Right now I am not reading anything. I go on these reading jags of reading 10 books in a week and then I burn out, take a month off and start again.

So, what are you reading these days? Maybe it will give me some ideas!