I have found several people I know who were once avid readers of books no longer are, often without understanding what happened. A few years back, I was one of them. I especially avoided fiction. Not good, I thought. Then I came across Sven Birkerts The Gutenberg Elegies: The Fate of Reading In An Electronic Age, the 2006 edition. Granted: It's a book and must be read. It's also been around awhile. But it inspired me to get serious about reading once again, and I think it could do the same for others. Many of us say we would like to read more, yet we never do. This book made me remember what I loved about books and reading, and helped me to realize how much I missed them. Since I got back into the habit of reading regularly, I have stayed with it.
I read a good book more than once. I am rereading The Homeplace by J. Drew Lanham and Late Migrations by Margaret Renkl. I just reread Janice Ray's book Drifting into Darien, because I love stories about river travel. .
Janisse, every post of yours tugs at the heartstrings ... but especially this one. Can I, instead of adding a #10, champion one of yours? It's #3 "Read to children....as volunteers." There are SO many schools that welcome people who want to come in the classroom and sit with kids who are slow readers and help them, one-on-one, discover the joy of reading. What a sweet contribution to children and community.
We should give books to children so they learn to love the feel of them. I admire Dolly Parton for giving away one million books. The Newberry winning author, Jerry Spinelli and his award winning author wife, Eileen hand out books at Halloween.
Oooh, I LOVE those ideas. Especially giving out books instead of candy on Halloween. And yes, giving books to children. My baby gift to new parents is always "Pat the Bunny," which in my opinion is the perfect book with which to introduce reading.
Doing my small part by "rescuing books" (thanks to Chuck Roberts of WonderBook for the phrase)-- collecting them in the neighborhood and then redistributing them via online sales & swap sites.
One thing I keep thinking about is reading aloud, listening to somebody read. I am imagining things like a reading event at a coffee shop or cafe. A good reader paired with a good short piece - a brief story, a short essay, a poem that makes its thunder audible. Light food for tea, not a holiday dinner (i.e., stuff that can be digested in such a setting.). Tastings that whet the appetite. My dearest friend once read "Dulce Domum" from "Wind in the Willows" aloud to me and it reminded me how wonderful it can to be read to. Twain stories would be wonderful for this.
Or encouraging reading/book clubs, but maybe not the traditional kind where everyone reads the same book. There is a book club here that is over 100 years old. Instead of reading the same book, members take a turn once a year to review something they've read at a monthly meeting. "Review" can be a few sentences from one member, from another it might include enrichment, from historical to literary context. I am afraid they will not be here many more years, it's a small club, new members must be approved by all -- and lately they haven't invited any younger people.
An acquaintance in Athens belongs to a book club that is downsized -- they read a particular story from one of the Pushcart Prize volumes before their meetings and discuss it at the meeting.
Ask local readers to complete a paragraph beginning, "When I discovered books I...." and post the paragraphs on a bulletin board in the library, or on-line on the library's web site (I know... I know...).
We can protest the new book bans and restrictions coming to various states. I just learned my county commissioners are trying to limit what under 18s can access in public libraries, coming on the heels of school restrictions in Texas.
The swap site is paperbackswap.com where you can post books you'd like to move along (paperback, hardcover, and audio). When someone claims one, you pay the postage & send it. Then you receive a credit, with which you can pick from the multitudes of postings available. There are also two sister sites, swapacd.com and swapadvd.com that work in similar ways. I've been doing all 3 for more than 10 years and am very satisfied.
Oh-- and my ebay store is under the name garythefowler. Besides my many books etc, patterns & more from my wife's quilting hobby, and then a variety of other treasures from... well, all over. Just search ebay garythefowler
We can gift and share with friends. An old friend from college and I have just started a book exchange by mail, complete with bookmarks.
Lucky you, MK. That sounds like such a sweet exchange. And to still be friends with folks from college!!!
Give books as gifts.
100 percent.
I have found several people I know who were once avid readers of books no longer are, often without understanding what happened. A few years back, I was one of them. I especially avoided fiction. Not good, I thought. Then I came across Sven Birkerts The Gutenberg Elegies: The Fate of Reading In An Electronic Age, the 2006 edition. Granted: It's a book and must be read. It's also been around awhile. But it inspired me to get serious about reading once again, and I think it could do the same for others. Many of us say we would like to read more, yet we never do. This book made me remember what I loved about books and reading, and helped me to realize how much I missed them. Since I got back into the habit of reading regularly, I have stayed with it.
This is a powerful post, Deborah. I have the Birkerts book. You have inspired me to pull it out again.
So glad!
I read a good book more than once. I am rereading The Homeplace by J. Drew Lanham and Late Migrations by Margaret Renkl. I just reread Janice Ray's book Drifting into Darien, because I love stories about river travel. .
Janisse, every post of yours tugs at the heartstrings ... but especially this one. Can I, instead of adding a #10, champion one of yours? It's #3 "Read to children....as volunteers." There are SO many schools that welcome people who want to come in the classroom and sit with kids who are slow readers and help them, one-on-one, discover the joy of reading. What a sweet contribution to children and community.
I had a twinge of guilt as I read this, that I don't volunteer at the local schools. EEEK.
Well, I haven't done it either (yet), so ... there's that. 😁
We should give books to children so they learn to love the feel of them. I admire Dolly Parton for giving away one million books. The Newberry winning author, Jerry Spinelli and his award winning author wife, Eileen hand out books at Halloween.
Oooh, I LOVE those ideas. Especially giving out books instead of candy on Halloween. And yes, giving books to children. My baby gift to new parents is always "Pat the Bunny," which in my opinion is the perfect book with which to introduce reading.
Pat the Bunny is an excellent book for wee ones. A librarian friend gave it to my kids. They loved pop up books too.
Okay, I've got to find this PAT book that everybody's talking about. I haven't seen it.
I guess I missed PAT THE BUNNY. I'll look for it.
Yes, my motto is Do What Dolly Does.
Doing my small part by "rescuing books" (thanks to Chuck Roberts of WonderBook for the phrase)-- collecting them in the neighborhood and then redistributing them via online sales & swap sites.
Heck, yes! Share the online link & I'll give a browse. I'd love to support your efforts.
Join a book club or start one? (This from someone not in a book club, but I know many people who are)
I really should do this.
One thing I keep thinking about is reading aloud, listening to somebody read. I am imagining things like a reading event at a coffee shop or cafe. A good reader paired with a good short piece - a brief story, a short essay, a poem that makes its thunder audible. Light food for tea, not a holiday dinner (i.e., stuff that can be digested in such a setting.). Tastings that whet the appetite. My dearest friend once read "Dulce Domum" from "Wind in the Willows" aloud to me and it reminded me how wonderful it can to be read to. Twain stories would be wonderful for this.
Or encouraging reading/book clubs, but maybe not the traditional kind where everyone reads the same book. There is a book club here that is over 100 years old. Instead of reading the same book, members take a turn once a year to review something they've read at a monthly meeting. "Review" can be a few sentences from one member, from another it might include enrichment, from historical to literary context. I am afraid they will not be here many more years, it's a small club, new members must be approved by all -- and lately they haven't invited any younger people.
An acquaintance in Athens belongs to a book club that is downsized -- they read a particular story from one of the Pushcart Prize volumes before their meetings and discuss it at the meeting.
Read in public? Or something like this: http://www.onebookthomascounty.org?
Reading is part of the analog world we are in danger of losing.
The book club over 100 years old would make a great story. That is pre-1923, Sherri!
It already is a story. . .
Ask local readers to complete a paragraph beginning, "When I discovered books I...." and post the paragraphs on a bulletin board in the library, or on-line on the library's web site (I know... I know...).
That is such a cool idea, Lamont. I hope librarians are reading this.
I like to write book reviews.
And you're good at it!
Thanks.
We can protest the new book bans and restrictions coming to various states. I just learned my county commissioners are trying to limit what under 18s can access in public libraries, coming on the heels of school restrictions in Texas.
The swap site is paperbackswap.com where you can post books you'd like to move along (paperback, hardcover, and audio). When someone claims one, you pay the postage & send it. Then you receive a credit, with which you can pick from the multitudes of postings available. There are also two sister sites, swapacd.com and swapadvd.com that work in similar ways. I've been doing all 3 for more than 10 years and am very satisfied.
Oh-- and my ebay store is under the name garythefowler. Besides my many books etc, patterns & more from my wife's quilting hobby, and then a variety of other treasures from... well, all over. Just search ebay garythefowler