I love to read. It's one of my favorite pastimes. I'll read to the exclusion of all else. I've even called in sick to work (in the past) to finish a series I was involved in. (Record to date: 5 books in one day). I'll read anything with words on it, that will sit still long enough for me to finish a sentence. But my favorites are trashy novels.
Well, it seems my niece has taken up the mantel. She has become a true fan of Elizabeth Lowell's work. I don't have a problem with that, not at all.
Yes, they can be considered a bit racy. But think about what's on TV and in the movies - let alone song lyrics. Plus, reading is imagination. If you don't have a point of reference, most of those "steamy" parts are nothing but words on paper. (She's going to be 14 next month, I started reading these when I was 11)
In explaining that to my Mom I realized a few things. Reading these books led directly to who and where I am today.
I grew up in a small town. We were "simple folks", just your average run of the mill middle/lower class family. Went to church, spent time with the family, not a lot of travel. Pretty much you're average '70s family.
Then I started reading. I've always loved history. But books gave me a window into a different world. Taught me about different places, exotic food, beautiful clothes. Made me want to experience these things.
My vocabulary expanded. Now - I do have to tell a funny story on myself. In my late teens I met this very sophisticated older (25 to my 18) gentleman. He was well educated, well traveled - oh so sophisticated. So, we are driving to a nice dinner out and he's telling me stories of his travels and experiences. I decide to impress him with my vocabulary. (please note: I had READ a lot, not heard the words pronounced a lot) I glance over at him and say "Well, you've had a pot-pour-y of experiences. (pronounced as I spelled it) Yeah folks - after the laughter died down and the red eased from my face he explained how to say the word. I had never heard it pronounced before, I just knew what it meant. I still have a bit of a problem with pronunciation. Oh, I know how to spell the words, I know what they mean, but I need to hear it to be able to pronounce it. Still a source of amusement for many of my friends.
I read about places I thought I'd never see. Places that all of a sudden I wanted to visit. I read about food I'd never heard of. I wanted to taste it.
Reading made me want more. Reading made me study harder, work harder. Reading made me push myself so that I could experience these things. Reading molded me.
So yeah, I'm all right with her reading trashy novels. I'm even going to give her some of mine. Then I'm going to sit down and talk to her. Who knows, maybe she'll want more too one day.
Posted by Tammi at July 20, 2004 08:14 AMWhat a wonderful gift to be able to share! My mother got me hooked on books as a child. I remember going to the mailbox and the excitement at seeing MY NAME on a package that contained MY VERY OWN BOOK!
I literally get cravings for books, like people do for food. I didn't discover trashy novels (and God bless Jackie Collins!) until I was in High School. But I read all the Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hamett and 'Perry Mason' books and mysteries I could get my hands on. Suspense and Mystery are still my favorite things in life (books & movies).
I hope that she too will want to explore beyond her borders one day!
Posted by: Lee Ann at July 20, 2004 08:47 AM"pot-pour-y"
That's funny to me, because I did the exact same thing with that word until I finally heard it pronounced :-)
Posted by: Harvey at July 20, 2004 10:47 AMVery similar experiences for me, Tammi. I read so much as a kid that it really improved my vocab, if not my pronunciation.
My stumble word in freshman year of high school was "benign." I knew the root was the opposite of that for "malignant," but knew it couldn't be pronounced "ben-ig'n," so I went with "ben-in." The teacher asked me to repeat the word twice (in front of the class) and finally to spell it. He laughed (and the other students, many of whom no doubt had no idea what it meant, roared). I can still remember the shame...
After that I hunkered down with a dictionary for quite some time.
Posted by: lex at July 20, 2004 11:14 AMAh trashy novels, they are my vice. I only get to read them during the summer as I have school work reading to do the other part of the year.
I love reading, would rather do that they almost anything else. I have a very good imagination and can picture the actual book tale in my mind. I sometimes get depressed at the end of a really good book.
I've gotten into autobiographies lately. Very interesting.
Posted by: Machelle at July 20, 2004 11:55 AMI'm a reading fool, non readers have a hard time understanding us sometimes, yeah I had a problem with a few words too back in the day. It's hard training our brain to pronounce the word right in our head, specially when your reading speed gets higher when you get older. Thanks for stopping by:)
Posted by: Sean at July 20, 2004 01:24 PMI recall referring to cut up raw vegetables on a platter as "KRUDites." (I still can't spell the French word.)
Posted by: Jim at July 20, 2004 04:05 PMAhhh... I have to narc on my sister. She was playing Trivial Pursuit with my brother and the answer was placebo, which he stated. She looked very smug and said, "Nope. Place boe!" We still laugh about it. Every single time we get together. heh heh heh
I am a reading fool too. I carry a book with me everywhere I go. To me... it is an escape. My parents are both voracious readers. Shoot, I'll read the back of a cereal box at breakfast if I can't find anything else!
Posted by: Boudicca at July 20, 2004 06:57 PMI have also called in sick to finish books. Can't go to sleep without reading. Carry one with me at all times. I even was in a two-hour traffic jam in Houston, didn't care, had a book with me. When I have a book that really touches me, I slow down so I can have it longer, start to savor it, but oh, the let down when it ends. I have held a good book close to me and thanked the author out loud for such a good read.
Posted by: BeeBee at July 22, 2004 06:41 PM