Book 'em Danno

My guess is that it wasn't until I actually found something that I wanted to read that I took the time to learn how to do it, and once I discovered the joy of reading there was no stopping me. Originally it was the Hardy Boys series from my brother Marc's bookshelf but soon it was just about anything I could get my hands on.



As a freshman in High School I discovered Stephen King and The Stand which started what continues to be a wonderful journey. Then it was Science Fiction - Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, and Isaac Asimov took me to places I wouldn't ever have dreamed about. I was lucky that my older brother was also an avid reader so there was no shortage of material about the house.

I sometimes felt that I was the only one my age who felt as I did though. I recall one incident before Chemistry class when I was reading The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer. Certainly not a light quick read - I was engrossed in the fascinating story when a classmate asked me about what I was reading. I explained and he followed with "what class is that for?". I explained that I was just reading it, to you know, read it. Other classmates joined in with their disbelief, questioning not only why I would read in general, but also why I would read a book that was so long. I guess they didn't share the joy of getting lost in another person's words.

Over the years I discovered the "classics" and actually found some I believed were deserving of that tag. Books like Of Mice and Men, Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies, and Animal Farm challenged me, made me think and led me to the discovery of other great authors and their works. I discovered Kurt Vonnegut, William Gibson, John Updike, Philip K. Dick, Dave Eggers, Neil Gaiman, and countless others who have shared their worlds with me.

This insatiable reading continued all through High School and College. I even had a few years of train commuting where I was literally reading anything I could get my hands on. Now, I don't have as much time to read as I would like, and don't take advantage of the time I do have.

Books have been a wonderful friend to me over the years. They have kept me company, inspired me, consoled me, and taught me. My life is richer because of the time I spent absorbing the words.

The more that you read,
the more things you will know.
The more that you learn,
the more places you'll go.

Dr. Seuss