April 10, 2012

The Written Word

Do you read?

I'm not talking about trashy magazines....

I mean books. Hard cover. Soft cover.

Fiction or non fiction.

I am a reader. I love books.

To be swept away into a fantasy land by words on a page.

My bookshelf is full of books. If I see one that I like, it's not enough to borrow from the library. I must have it and own it and place it on my timber bookshelf.



My love of reading began when I was a child and I adored my Enid Blyton paperbacks. The Wishing Chair, The Magic Faraway Tree..The Book of Fairies..

I can still remember being taken away into this fantasy land of goblins and magical creatures....how I adored this!

The two books I remember clearly from my childhood are Tom's Midnight Garden and Z for Zachariah.

I've reread these two books as an adult, but they didn't have the same impact as they did looking through the pure eyes of a child.

I adore Stephen King. I love travel books about America.

Bill Bryson makes me laugh out loud.



I can easily read my favourite books more than once.

And I do.

I am halfway through The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris.

And I have this pile of books just waiting to be read.



What I have found, however, is that I prefer the book...rather than the movie.

Especially with Stephen King....to be able to understand a character in a book before visually seeing..it's very satisfying......

The power of the written word is undeniable.

What books do YOU  enjoy?

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had become rather lazy and had not read in ages and now only i have gotten back into reading books.

Farmers Wifey said...

Since I've been blogging, I haven't been reading as much and I really miss it xo Thanks for your comment xo

Daisy, Roo and Two said...

I always have a book on the go. Whether its a hard copy or on my eReader. I simply CANNOT be without a book to escape into! When the twins were babies and I didn't even really have time to brush my teeth in between feeds I even got into audio books on my iPod! Funnily enough my love of reading began with Enjd Blyton as well. My mum says she knew my transformation into a book worm was cometr when I started having midnight tea parties with my imaginary friends - who just do happened to be From the Faraway Tree!

B said...

I am reading 'To Kill A Mockingbird' at the moment. I read it at school, but am now reading it for my bookclub. Nice to read something because I WANT to not because I HAVE to...

I have also been reading less since I began blogging... I guess we can't do everything...?

I can't read Stephen King - too too too creepy for me! I am such a chicken! I used to read Patricia Cornwell, but she got to be too freaky for me as well!

I like classics and more... toned down books... like 'The Help' and 'Cloudstreet'...

Nice place to visit you have here... XX

Mum on the Run said...

I love reading.
Always have.
I was a huge Enid Blyton fan too - I really wanted to be in Mr. Galliano's circus!!

My favourite book ever is 'The Power of One'.

Hubby was just asking today if I could get into a kindle or similar.
Not at this stage.
I love page turning, the weight of the book, the smell of the pages!!!

I can't read a book more than once though - so I'm an avid book borrower. Library, friends, the in-laws...
At the moment I'm about to start a new James Patterson. I've also got 'The Gods of Gotham' and a crime thriller waiting for me too.

Is it sad that I'm looking forward to going to bed tonight to start my new book??!!
Sorry Hubby!
:-) xx

Farmers Wifey said...

Oh Girls...I love what you have to say! Daisy, Midnight tea parties are just so exciting...xox

@ B, I love Stephen King, but I love my horror movies as well x Thanks for visiting x

@ Shar, not sad at all...what's better than snuggling in bed with a good book...and I so agree with you about the magic of turning the pages in a book..no kindle for me x

Dreaming said...

I just finished the Hunger Games trilogy. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.

Some place I have a picture of my boys and me taken in front of Stephen King's house! He has a beautiful wrought iron gate that is like a spider web with spiders!

Unknown said...

Hi!
We are an English family who live in France. We all love reading, but as you can imagine finding books written in English is not so easy (although all my children read in French too ~ it's not fair!!) Postage form the UK is diabolical, hence our car is always full of books on our return from our annual trip back and we always ask guests if they have any unwanted books they could bring us. Like you we love to own books ~ I wish I could post a picture of the enormous pile of books my daughter received for her birthday last week! It helps having a teen-aged daughter, she lets me share her books ~ she has just started the 'Mortal Instruments' series by Cassandra Clare.
Thank you so much for sharing this great post.
Happy reading!!
Emily xx{The Country Mumkin}

Anne Birdsong said...

Snowflower and the Secret Fan
To Kill a Mockingbord
Jane Eyre
the Twilight series (don't hate)
Anne of Green Gables
The Secret Life of Bees
Memoirs of a Geisha
Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood
So many.....

Anorina @SameliasMum said...

I don't read as much as I used to and I really do miss it.

These days it's just a chapter or 2 before falling asleep.

Currently reading "Putting Alice Back Together"

http://www.sameliasmum.com

Anonymous said...

I'm another who will say since blogging I read less books and more blogs, periodicals, reports etc instead. But when I get on a roll reading books I frequently have a few on the go. I have books spread throughout the house for where ever I may land in moments of relaxation.

I love African historical novels, empowering stories, survival stories. I don't mind a wide range of books actually, but I am not into scary, spooky, crime or thrillers or sci-fi books for that record either.

My life of Chaos said...

Hi! Gosh I don't know wha I would do without a good book- the Sookie books are awsome. I love Tandia- the sequel to The Power of One.
I can and do read books over and over again- I just finished the Sookie series for the fourth time!
My current faves are;
the Succubus series- Richelle Mead
Hunger Games Trilogy- Suzanne Collins
Land of Painted Caves- Jane M Auel
Die for Me- Amy Plum
Inheritance- Christopher Paolini
Armagedons Children series- Terry Brooks
Lady of the Rivers- Philippa Gregory.

Love reading your blog :)
Pip- My Life of Chaos

Becci said...

I have always loved reading books and like you my favourite childhood books were by Enid Blyton, even the mention of the Faraway Tree makes me sigh.

I also had a period in my 20's where I had to read every Stephen King book and they are still lined up in my bookshelf 20 yrs later (much much better than the movies too).

I went through Erica Jong, Fay Weldon, Kate Grenville, Amy Tan, Jodi Piccoult, Ruth Park.

Reading Gang of Four at the moment but as I'm always doing the bloggy thing I don't get to the book as much as I'd like. Shame, nothing beats having your nose in a book. In fact you've made me want to go and read it now (and I just took pics of my bookshelf so I never forget my favourite authors again - which I did!).

W - 3xpretty said...

It's been so fun watching M get into Enid Blyton recently! She devoured The Magic faraway tree in about 2 days. Not bad for an 8 year old.

I'm not as big a reader as I used to be, but I do like Jodi Piccoult or a good biography!!

I'm trying to read the girl who kicked the hornets nest, but my poor pregnant brain can't keep up with it!!!

W - 3xpretty said...

It's been so fun watching M get into Enid Blyton recently! She devoured The Magic faraway tree in about 2 days. Not bad for an 8 year old.

I'm not as big a reader as I used to be, but I do like Jodi Piccoult or a good biography!!

I'm trying to read the girl who kicked the hornets nest, but my poor pregnant brain can't keep up with it!!!

River said...

I've been reading since I was three, I used to love the "Naughtiest Girl In the School" series, then the "Chalet School" series, I read A Town Called Alice when I was seven.
I've read most of Stephen King, but I've grown away from that now, readingmore of Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell, Tami Hoag, Carl Hiaasen, Nora Roberts, Janet Evanovich, James Patterson, James Lee Burke, Lee Weeks, J.D.Robb, as well as anything I pick up when visiting my daughter.

TheThingsIdTellYou said...

Like you, I adore books. Live them, breathe them, dream them.

We have completely (I mean COMPLETELY) different tastes though. :)

But I still love that you're a reader. This will sound stupid. But I love my friends who are readers that little bit more. I feel like they 'get' me.

Farmers Wifey said...

Wow guys...I have made a list of your books and I can't wait to add them to my list of "want to reads"...

Such a big variety and some new authors for me to peruse..

Thank you for sharing xo

country life said...

I love to read! I do not read as much as I did a few years ago, to busy, but I still finish a book about every week. A few of my fav authors are Heather Graham, Kay Hooper, Nora Roberts, Nancy Atherton etc. I have never read any Steven King....yet... :) I take a book with me every where I go, it fits in my purse perfectly :) I lucked out last summer and bought hard backed books that looked new for 50cents each, I got almost 2 years worth! :)

Anonymous said...

I adore reading. Like you I was a massive Enid Blyton fan, moving onto Nancy Drew and then Stephen King.
Now, I read about two-three books a week. I even started a facebook group, Bookworms several years ago where we chat about books!
The lastest one I read that I would recommend is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It is absolutely brilliant and being a SK fan, you might enjoy it, as it has some dark elements. Sonia x

Farmers Wifey said...

@ Country Life..I've heard alot about Nora Roberts...she's on my list now!

@ Natural...I'm going to certainly check that one out..The Night Circus..going to google it now..thank you xo

kelley @ magnetoboldtoo said...

At least once a week I put a new book on my Kindle but never make the time to just READ.

I guess blogging has trained me to read in 5 minute bursts. I need to get out of that habit.

Farmers Wifey said...

@ Kelley, blogging has certainly changed alot of things....I don't even have the time just to sit..and read now, I'm always in a rush x

Redcliffe Style said...

OOh, this is a great post. I am a crazy reader. I have read all the Sookie books too. I enjoyed part of the series and then stopped watching it. I love books more than movies. But if I love a book I have to see the movie. But i ready EVERYTHING off my iPad. I have a kindle but even that is old news now. Crosstitch series, Life of Pi, Hunger Games, April Fool's day. Lunch with the General, The Help. So many. Rachel xx