As Valentine’s Day is almost upon us I considered writing of love or other obvious themes for the day, such as flowers, hearts or chocolate. But I realised that most of my thoughts on these subjects would be covered by other people, especially at this time of year. Whilst I was still considering what to write about, I received an email at work which reminded me of the Quick Reads Initiative and the recent 2012 releases, this in turn reminded me of World Book Day and got me thinking of my lifelong passion for books and reading.
In my teens and early twenties the novels I read were mainly science fiction and fantasy but I also read about nature, science, strange facts, unexplained phenomena and other related subjects. One of my favourite magazines at the time was Omnium which was a mixture of science fact and fiction. My choice of novels expanded to include history, philosophy, world views; any reading that stretched my mind and got me thinking.
By the time I reached my thirties, my reading had further diversified to include books and magazines on photography (digital and film) so that I could understand the principles and explore the different techniques. I also read computer manuals from cover to cover (almost) to teach me how the computer operating system worked and how to write code to magically produce web pages.
In my forties I gained an interest in family history, stately homes, castles and gardens and started to read about those. I always pick up the guidebook for the places I visit, to give me background information which enhances my enjoyment of the visit. Whenever I visit another country I pick up a travel guide book to give a sense of history and culture, so I can enjoy the country even more.
My recent readings have mostly been on the theme of history, science, philosophy and world views, interspersed with one or two mystery thrillers. My readings always include alternative ideas to the accepted view of the world, which allows me to expand my horizons.
I knew I would enjoy the first book that was chosen for the Vision & Verb book group, especially because I was sure that when I had finished it ( which I have now ) I would love to hear what the other V&V ladies had to say and discuss the themes and ideas with them. For me, one of the best things about books is being able to discuss them, or what you have learned from them, with other people.
I think other people would describe my reading as eclectic/eccentric, maybe it is…
I will leave you to wonder which book I am currently reading…
Cherry - Out & About 