Why do you read?  That’s a question I get a lot, mostly because I have my nose in a book over 50% of the time.  But really, why do I read?  Here are just some of the reasons.

1.  Enjoyment.

Books are great entertainment and they’re certainly better than what’s on TV 99% of the time.  Hmm…’reality’ TV or a good book that makes me laugh, cry and genuinely care about the characters?  I think that’s a pretty easy decision most of the time.  Of course not all books are great books and some have certainly been much worse than reality TV, but there’s certainly less chance of being lied to constantly when you’re reading.  At least most editors try to get their writers to stick to the facts, whereas most television shows seem to not care as long as they’re getting views.

Good books make you laugh at the characters’ antics, cry at their losses and your heart race when they are in danger.  Movies have the advantage of visuals and audio, but books allow readers to (generally) see inside the characters’ heads and have more in-depth knowledge of what’s going on.  I personally find it easier to connect with characters in books than in movies or television because of that, but that might just be me. Continue reading →