Are you a book lover? If so, then today is your day to stand up and be counted, because it’s Book Lover’s Day. You’re doing something counter-cultural, you know, when you read.
Americans are spending less time reading these days, and employers now rank reading and writing as the top deficiencies in new hires. Studies show that the greater the number of books in a family’s home, the more education a child will seek. Sadly, 1 in 3 high school graduates will never read a book after graduation.
Lutheran women are great readers. Many surveys have shown us that. One of our more popular program resources is Page Turners: Building a book club stat suits your style. Maybe this is your year to start a book club in your congregation or among your friends. Page Turners can help.
“Too many books, too little time” best describes me and books: I’d spend most of my day reading, if I could. Back in 2002 I decided to keep a list of everything I read, noting my reactions to the book. I’ve enjoyed revisiting the list, remembering those many books and the adventures and explorations they offered me. Having the list has also made me more aware of my natural inclinations: I prefer women authors, I prefer stories that examine relationships among women and I can find faith issues in nearly any book.
When a book really captures my imagination or my heart, as Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother and Daughter Story by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor currently does, I’m a voracious reader. I’ve never been the slow reader who wants to savor every word. I want to drink it all in with one big gulp.
Books take me places I’ve never been and help me make sense of my life. So, on this Book Lover’s Day, why do you love books?
Linda Post Bushkofsky, executive director, got a library card as a kid and that changed her world.