To The Wonderful World of Books

“I’ve traveled the world twice over,

Met the famous saints and sinners

Poets and artists

Kings and queens

Old stars and hopeful beginners

I’ve been where no one’s been before

Learned secrets from writers and cooks

All with one library ticket

To the wonderful world of books”

~Anonymous~

Books have been around since languages have been spoken. One of the simple things in life is to curl up with a good book, a hot beverage, and a blanket on a rainy day and stay there forever. With today’s technology, the paper books have become somewhat a thing of the past. I dread the day when all the paper books are replaced with their electronic counterparts in the name of being green. Someday our children won’t be able to hold a hardbound book in their hands, smell the musty paper, and have the thrill of turning the page when the hero is about to save his lover. But since that day has not come, there is no reason for me to lament any longer on the subject.

Without authors, we would have no books and without any books, we would have no escape from our sometimes dreary world. Reading is enjoyable pastime in which you can escape reality and become Black Beauty running in the pasture. You can become Prince Charming who saves Cinderella from the evil stepmother or you can be Ben Hur in that famous chariot race. You can become Sherlock Holmes and use your wit to solve the crime or you can become Batman fighting the evil in Gotham City. Books can take you anywhere. A good book can make everything in reality disappear and help you build a world out of your own imagination. Just like the song in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Pure Imagination. Oh what enjoyment comes from reading a book!

I tend to gravitate more to the books that blur the lines between what is real and what is not. Jane Austen’s book Pride and Prejudice is a great example of that style. Every word drips with sarcasm and wit as she makes fun of then society’s rules that people cannot marry out of their class. A more modern day author, Ted Dekker, twists reality into something unusual. His scenarios seem so far fetched but once you read his books they become real. Another author, Frank Peretti, opens your eyes with symbolism. His book, The Oath, shows a clear picture of sin and what it can do. It seems so obvious what he is talking about yet it becomes clearer with every page turn. Stephen King is a good author as well. Although, I must admit I have not read any of his books, his following alone is enough to convince me that he is a great author.

Romantic novels are an attraction for every woman no matter the age or personality. Although I had my stint at these when I was a teenager, at this point in time, romantic novels have no attraction for me. Why? The honest truth is they are so far from reality it would never be true. One author I read had the same guy crying on every page. No guy cries that much. You may like them but for me I can’t stand them.

So tell me who is your favorite author and what books do you recommend I read? I would love to “try” a new book after all “Books are the blessed chloroform of the mind ~ Robert Chambers