For the love of books...
Posted: Wed March 27th, 2013, 2:44 am
I wrote this on GoodReads and thought I'd post it here too.
I have always felt as a serious book lover that we owe a lot to authors who struggle against self-doubt and have to persevere against all odds to simply get their works published. It is through their eyes and that the reader is transported to lands where we would never think to go, whether it is through fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, biographies or escapist romances.
We become immersed into the novel and form attachments to our favourite characters and then we journey with them and see the world (or other worlds) through their eyes. We feel their pain, their joys and their aspirations and now and again our hearts leap for joy when the character that we have vested our hope in eventually overcomes all obstacles and gains the happy ending we wanted them to have. Or they will simply discover who they really are and become strengthened by all that they have endured.
In this day and age where conversation is becoming a dying art-Words become powerful and sometimes speak a language that we are in danger of losing. Ask yourself when was the last time you had a really heartfelt and meaningful conversation with someone?
The written word reaches the deep recesses of our hearts and our own hopes and desires become interwoven with the characters we read about. We can at times dislike them and become angry at the path they have chosen, but we never become bored with them.
So thank you Harper Lee for Atticus and Scout Finch, for teaching me that life isn't always fair, but to strive for justice anyway despite the odds.
Thank you Margaret Mitchell for Scarlett and Rhett and the dangers of selfish choices which could cost us all we love.
Thank you Sharon Kay Penman for bringing to life the struggles of Wales through the lives of the Welsh Princes from Llewelyn the Great to the tragic Llewelyn the Last and even Daffydd who teaches us that no-one is beyond redemption.
Thank you Susan Kay for Erik who became a Phantom because the world is in love with beauty and that perhaps one day we will not judge others by how they appear.
Thank you J.K. Rowling for introducing Harry Potter and his world where love does prevail and not every good person will make it, but their lives meant something to someone and their loss is felt; and for leading so many to the joys of reading.
My heroes are authors who put everything on the line because they believe and trust in us, the reader......
Bec
I have always felt as a serious book lover that we owe a lot to authors who struggle against self-doubt and have to persevere against all odds to simply get their works published. It is through their eyes and that the reader is transported to lands where we would never think to go, whether it is through fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, biographies or escapist romances.
We become immersed into the novel and form attachments to our favourite characters and then we journey with them and see the world (or other worlds) through their eyes. We feel their pain, their joys and their aspirations and now and again our hearts leap for joy when the character that we have vested our hope in eventually overcomes all obstacles and gains the happy ending we wanted them to have. Or they will simply discover who they really are and become strengthened by all that they have endured.
In this day and age where conversation is becoming a dying art-Words become powerful and sometimes speak a language that we are in danger of losing. Ask yourself when was the last time you had a really heartfelt and meaningful conversation with someone?
The written word reaches the deep recesses of our hearts and our own hopes and desires become interwoven with the characters we read about. We can at times dislike them and become angry at the path they have chosen, but we never become bored with them.
So thank you Harper Lee for Atticus and Scout Finch, for teaching me that life isn't always fair, but to strive for justice anyway despite the odds.
Thank you Margaret Mitchell for Scarlett and Rhett and the dangers of selfish choices which could cost us all we love.
Thank you Sharon Kay Penman for bringing to life the struggles of Wales through the lives of the Welsh Princes from Llewelyn the Great to the tragic Llewelyn the Last and even Daffydd who teaches us that no-one is beyond redemption.
Thank you Susan Kay for Erik who became a Phantom because the world is in love with beauty and that perhaps one day we will not judge others by how they appear.
Thank you J.K. Rowling for introducing Harry Potter and his world where love does prevail and not every good person will make it, but their lives meant something to someone and their loss is felt; and for leading so many to the joys of reading.
My heroes are authors who put everything on the line because they believe and trust in us, the reader......
Bec