I was a reader long before I became a writer. I was read to
as a child, and it didn’t take long for me to qualify as a bookworm. I later
became an English teacher so reading could be part of my profession. (I also
like working with young people, so it was a natural fit.) And I still read as
many books as I can fit into my schedule. I love getting lost in books.
A good book can carry the reader along to a different life.
She can learn what it’s like to walk around in someone else’s shoes, or learn
about a different place or time. I’ve learned about so many things, from
building medieval cathedrals to Chinese cooking, thanks to books. But most
importantly, I’ve been able to understand people better. I’ve had a glimpse of
what it means to live as a Latina teen, or an African American female pilot, or
a hundred other lives, thanks to reading. That ability to see through someone
else’s eyes is the greatest gift of books. It can change lives for the better.
And with enough lives and over time, it will make the world a better place.
Here are a few of the books I’ve read in the last year that I
recommend the next time you want to get lost in a book:
YA: The Ocean in My
Ears by Meagan Macvie, Outrun the
Moon by Stacey Lee, The Game of Love
and Death by Martha Brockenbrough
Adult: How To Be a
Woman by Caitlin Moran, Caught by You
by Jennifer Bernard, Tiffany Girl by
Deeanne Gist
Have you read a book you’d like to share with us? Please add
a comment.
Lynn Lovegreen has lived in Alaska for almost fifty years. She taught for twenty years before retiring to make more time for writing. She enjoys her friends and family, reading, and volunteering at her local library. Her young adult/new adult historical romances are set in Alaska, a great place for drama, romance, and independent characters. See her website at www.lynnlovegreen.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Goodreads, and Pinterest.