Last week ended on a downer with me hating both reading and writing.
Today hope emerges in the last place you’d expect to find it, High School English class.
See, my teacher in ninth grade knew something important. Something obvious that all the other teachers so far couldn’t figure out. He knew that if you wanted kids to read you needed to offer them books that didn’t suck.
He had a two bookcase library at the back of his room stocked with action, sci-fi, and fantasy novels. And he expected us to read and give a report on a book each month.
Sounded like torture to me at the time, but I dutifully went up to pick out my first book. I found one that I liked the looks of, it wasn’t too thick and had a cool cover. It was The Scions of Shanara by Terry Brooks.
That was it.
The book grabbed me by the throat and refused to let go.
It had everything the books I’d been forced to read lacked. Action, adventure, magic, and a kickass assassin. I had no idea such awesome books even existed. I read the whole thing in three days and came back for more.
Thus began my new life as a bookaholic.
Did you have a particular book that got you hooked on reading? Reply to this email and let me know. I’d love to hear from you.
My new love of reading was great, but the same year I discovered something else wonderful; Dungeons and Dragons.
In math class if you can believe it.
Stay tuned for Adventures in Funny Looking Dice and Ignoring Algebra.
Did you miss part one? You can read it here
Not sure I remember the first book to grip me in that way but i know one, it was the very book that made me live mages/wizards.The series is called Septimus Heap. Forever will be my favourite series.
I haven’t read Septimus Heap. I’ll have to check it out.
Firt of all, i want to say that english isn’t my first language, but i will try my best.
Like you’ve said în the first part of your story, me too had some kind of bad story with books, i can’t say i hated them, but i really couldn’t read more that 100 pages until i’ve came across the wonderful, most beautiful part of the literature, the Sf genre. The first book that i couldn’t let go off was a light novel. After that, reading was my hobby, whenever i had some spare time, i would read. Book after book came across my hands, many left unfinished, i think mostly of them, anyway, i want to say that one of your book didn’t sank în that lot, i’ve enjoyed reading it from the beggining to the end, that’s why, even tho i don’t know if my opinion as a non writer, and a not such experimented reader matters în front of your heavy record, i still want to say that i really admire your work, and i hope all your dreams come true because such a good writer who knows how to put forth the good points of this genre can’t be a bad person, and good people deserves all the good în the world.
With all my admiration,
Peter
Thanks for the kind words Peter.