10+ reasons I love books

My bedside table full of books waiting to be read

I am an avid reader. Paperback fiction is my favorite reading material, but I read anything in front of me: the cereal box, a years-old magazine in the doctor's office, a trashy novel I picked up somewhere. Here are some of the reasons I love to read.

One of our bookshelves

1. Books take you to places you have never been and will never go (the past, the far-off future, other planets).
2. Books teach you things, lots of things. Before the internet, books were my go-to references.
3. You can read sitting or lying down; easy on the feet.
4. Reading improves your spelling.
5. Reading improves your writing. As a writer, this is important to me.
6. Reading improves your vocabulary. I constantly amaze my fellow workers with words I know in crossword that they have never heard before. I read it in a book.
7. Paperbacks travel well. They slide right into your purse or travel bag and weigh less than a hair dryer.
8. Books are good for travel. They help pass the time while you wait at airports: at the gate, on the plane waiting to take off, waiting for your connecting plane that is late. The time passes a lot quicker if you have a book to read. And it doesn't irritate other passengers like cell phones, and DVD players can.
9. Reading a book on a plane discourages most people from initiating a conversation while they sit next to you. I like this, having had some really awful conversations with boors on planes. 
10. Books make for good conversation, "Read any good books lately?"is an interesting topic to me.

There are more reasons I like to read books, but this is what comes to mind now. It is my favorite way to relax and be entertained at the same time. I like to trade books with other readers. A group of friends had a "bookworm party" years ago where everyone brought old books to trade. It was great fun and I got a lot of books to read that I never would have purchased. Have your own "bookworm party" and discover new authors and genres.

Books given to me by friends, including some from my favorite authors.