Page 1 of 1

For the love of books...

Posted: Wed March 27th, 2013, 2:44 am
by rebecca
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 :)

Posted: Wed March 27th, 2013, 9:25 am
by Madeleine
That's lovely Bec, very well said, or should I say, written.

Posted: Wed March 27th, 2013, 10:50 am
by Vanessa
Books teach us a lot.

Posted: Thu March 28th, 2013, 1:46 am
by rebecca
Thank you Madeleine and Vanessa :) I was out earlier today pricing up yet another book case :D ..but still it is worth it I love books!

Bec :)

Posted: Thu March 28th, 2013, 10:16 am
by Vanessa
You can never have too many books or bookshelves! :D I need more shelves - mine are all full which means books are being double stacked! :o

Posted: Thu March 28th, 2013, 10:31 am
by Madeleine
Mine are about 10xstacked, some of the stacks are taller than I am!

Posted: Thu March 28th, 2013, 6:09 pm
by Vanessa
All I can say is thank heavens for Librarything! At least I have some knowledge of which books I own. LOL.

Posted: Fri March 29th, 2013, 12:18 am
by DianeL
I had the VERY great joy and thrill of corresponding briefly with one of the great American authors, Donald Harington (he did do histfic, kids - and I recommend his Stay More novels) before he died. He was working on a novel at the time, and his enthusiasm - and encouragement, when my own novel was still very much fetal in form at that time - was gorgeous to experience. My brother gave me the first novel of his I ever read, and has given me others as well. Books have very deep magic, the only magic I know.

Just today I purchased my very first e-book. It had to be "The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" - not just for Douglas, but because it's tech, and he would have loved the little tablets we have now, and all the things they can do. I won't be able to write in this copy - but I still have the paperbacks - and the black-bound, gold leafed edition of the Ultimate my mom gave me when it first came out - with her note to me yellowing gently inside. :)

Great thread, Rebecca. Thank YOU.

And thank you to Douglas Adams. And Parke Godwin. And Donald Harington. And Anya Seton. And so many more. Thanks, too, to those authors I have been privileged to meet or encounter online (yes, I am looking at members here!). And to readers. For making it all so possible, because for us it's so necessary.

Posted: Fri March 29th, 2013, 3:18 am
by annis
A friend sent me this (can't think why :) ) and I thought I'd pass it on- i'm sure it applies to many here as well as me!

Image

Posted: Sun March 31st, 2013, 3:53 am
by rebecca
[quote=""annis""]A friend sent me this (can't think why :) ) and I thought I'd pass it on- i'm sure it applies to many here as well as me!

Image[/quote]

LOL @ Annis LOVE it! :p :D

Bec :p