Choosing books to read is personal, a reflection of a person’s likes and dislikes. When I was young, nine or ten, my reading fell into two camps: Nancy Drew and Judy Bolton mysteries and horse stories.
The mysteries were on the shelf at home. I knew exactly where to find both fiction and nonfiction horse stories in the library. I read them, then reread my favorites.
Broadening My Horizons
One day my mother laid down the law. I was allowed only one horse story and had to take out some other kind of book each trip to the library. I was furious.
My mother encouraged me to read the classics. I met the Three Musketeers. I hated Gulliver’s Story and still do. Nature books came home often.
Teachers at school pushed my horizons even further with their reading lists. A list would have fifty to one hundred books on it with a requirement of four or five. Choosing books from the lists was up to the students.
At that time, I started out resenting such interference. I was happy with my few choices.
Reading Widely
Now I’m glad I was pushed out of such a narrow book focus. There are so many kinds of books by so many authors available. Many aren’t be to my taste. Others are welcome discoveries.
So many people seem to only read mysteries or thrillers or Westerns or romance or horror. Some even limit the number of authors they will read. What a shame. They are missing out on so many good books.
There are series I read all of. Tony Hillerman, the Cat Who books and Mrs. Pollifax come to mind. But these are not the only books I read.
I just finished “Zorro” by Isabel Allende translated from the Spanish. I’m reading “The Cat Who Saved Books” by Sosuke Natsukawa translated from the Japanese. Reading books from other cultures opens a window into the cultures of other countries.
“The Hate You Give” and “On the Come Up” by Angie Thomas opened a window into life in the inner city. “They Called Us Enemy” by George Takai taught me some U.S. history I was unaware of.
Choosing books from many authors, from and about many times and from many countries enlarges my life. Give it a try. You might find your world getting bigger too.
