Her decision to read that particular book and subsequent decision to contact the author has indeed been life changing.
"In books I have travelled, not only to other worlds, but into my own." - Anna Quindlen.
A colleague of mine was kind enough to share how her love of reading began, at the age of eight, when a family friend dropped off a sack full of old books to her home. Classic children's stories like Anne of Green Gables and The Famous Five were read and re-read countless times. They opened up her world and imagination.
We see this everyday in our libraries too as young children rush in clutching their returns and race off to find their next book. These are children that are curious, questioning and excited to see, do and think.
"I read because one of these days I'm going to get out of this town, and I'm going to go everywhere and meet everybody, and I want to be ready." - Richard Peck.
I was also told how thrilled a friend's children were when writer Margaret Mahy answered their letters in her own hand and with illustrations! This is a memory and keepsake they will have for life.
For me, as a collector of books, their physical presence on my bookshelf (or should I say shelves) is important in itself. For each one reminds me of a person, place or a moment in time. When a loved one died a few years ago many books that were important to her became important to me. I shall be happy to be surrounded by these memories for many years to come and curse my collection only when I move house!
"To build up a library is to create a life. It's never just a random collection of books." - Carlos Maria Dominguez.
Books may profoundly affect us with their message, teach us a new skill, or simply let us escape to another world for a brief period of time. Whatever their impact, for us as readers, our relationship with books and their authors is significant and lasting.
Books really do change lives!
Posted by CP.
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