“I Cannot Live Without Books”

So wrote Thomas Jefferson in a letter to John Adams on June 10, 1815. I tend to agree. Of course I need oxygen, water, and food in order to read, but my world would be much bleaker if I wasn’t surrounded by books.

I often wonder about people who claim not to read—what must their lives be like? Granted, their houses are no doubt cleaner than mine, probably have better organized pantries and closets, and spend their free time socializing with friends. But what do they talk about when they’re out with others if they can’t compare notes on what they’ve recently read? It’s a foreign concept to me.

Next Wednesday. August 9, is National Book Lovers Day (or what I call every day). It’s a day to embrace all the books that have enriched your life, from childhood to present day. I still remember reading Winnie-the-Pooh and Paddington, followed by the Boxcar Children, all the Beverly Cleary books, Henry Huggins, and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle before moving on to the Three Investigators.

Today I’m drawn more to mysteries but can appreciate any well-told story. Among my favorites that I recommend more than any others are “Ordinary Grace,” by William Kent Krueger, “Boys in the Boat,” by Daniel James Brown, and Abbi Waxman’s “Bookish Life of Nina Hill” (notice there’s not a mystery among those three but I can certainly suggest any number of them—have you ever noticed I write about David Rosenfelt a lot?)

So when Wednesday comes around, I encourage you to pick up a book, preferably one you love. Take a trip to the library or local bookstore and surround yourself with shelves of books. And if you want to make a night of it, come the the library’s Book Tasting at 6:30 p.m. where you can sample a smorgasbord of different books to tempt your reading palate. Best thing about a book tasting—the offerings are calorie free.

Happy Book Lovers Day!