So I have started re-reading the book that started it all for me, and it made me reflect about my reading journey.
“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.”
– J.K. Rowling
This was totally true for me. As a child, it was probably one of the worst things you could ask me to do – you could have used it as a form of punishment to be honest.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the idea of books, but nothing ever captivated me; and don’t get me started on the forced reading out loud to the class! Looking back, this was probably a sign of my social anxiety (self-diagnosed, but a hecking lot of the signs are there – I can’t even ring for a takeaway I fear talking to other people that much. I can;t bring myself to go talk to a doctor about it either) and this was possibly a major contributing factor from my lack of pleasure in reading.
I’d tried reading a few different books: fairytales, Beatrix Potter, Lemony Snicket, Harry Potter (when I saw how big the books were getting I gave up) – but nothing I finished. We read Moby Dick in Primary School – I can remember hating every second of it and could not possibly tell you a single detail about the book, then or now, except for the title and that I *think* there is a whale involved.
As much as I cringe now looking back at how obsessed I was with it, Twilight by Stephanie Meyer was the right book for me. Looking at the release dates for the books, it must have been 2008 that I decided to pick up the first book. I can still remember standing in a supermarket with my mum (who is an avid reader) by the books, with her trying to convince me reading wasn’t so bad. Now I love font, for some unknown reason, and the typography used for the film was what drew me in of all things – I agreed that, OK I’ll get this one.
“I’d never given much thought to how I would die – though I’d had reason enough in the last few months – but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this.”
– Stephanie Meyer, Twilight opening line
I went from hardly reading, maybe one book every 2 years if you were lucky – I’d often not read the books set in English class, to devouring the series as soon as I could get my hand on the next copy. I was inconsolable while I waited to get the next books from the shops, moping around the house and begging my parents to take me further afield in the search (I’m from a small town).
Although my mum was pleased I’d finally found joy in books, I bet she also thought she’d created a monster – when the films did come out I watched the hell out of them nonstop in the lounge – hogging the TV, I talked endlessly at school about them (team Edward!), I played the film soundtrack everywhere, complained constantly there where no more books, and I even convinced her that she needed these in her life damn it! I sometimes wonder if she became a bigger fan than I was!!
I’m not as obsessive about things nowadays.
I’d moved on and didn’t care anymore about them by the time film 3 came out.
It still makes me chuckle to think about how big a deal boys thought they were making by saying they’d “watch the next Twilight film with me when it was out in the cinema”. It was the ultimate ‘I’d do anything for you’ statement at that age…
Although the books are but a vague memory for me now, it’s to them that I owe so many hours enjoyed in the company of a book. I predominately read fantasy or YA – things that once upon a time I thought of as a sort of guilty pleasure, not wanting to come away looking like a ‘nerd’. Looking back, why did I ever think about what other people made of my reading choices? Game of Thrones gained a TV series and all of a sudden everyone loved fantasy! – so read what you want people!
“That’s what Hermione does,” said Ron, shrugging. “When in doubt, go to the library.”
– J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
I’m slowly working on my loss of Harry Potter (although I adore the films) by reading at least one of the books each year until I finish the series.
The Bookworm's Feast 
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