What inspired you to begin readng for pleasure?

June 20, 2008 3:52pm CST
Reading at school was something that you simply had to do: some people loved it, some people hated it. For me, it was ok. I never apreciated the joy and pleasure of reading at such a young age though: it wasn't till I was about 12 that I began to appreciate the pleasure of reading. Famous writer Enid Blyton influenced my reading habits: instead of reading for school, I began to read for pleasure. Enid Blyton's books were mostly based on a group of young people going off on exciting, sometimes mysterious, adventures together. The inspiring aspect of reading these books was imagining myself with the characters of the story. As I was reading the story, I could vision myself with the characters, sharing in their mysteries and excitement. It really was quite rewarding, and I believe this had helped me to develop my own imagination when it comes to writing my own fictional adventure books. What inspired you to read for pleasure? When did you appreciate reading more and why?
2 people like this
13 responses
@ppooja03 (67)
• India
21 Jun 08
when i was in school i was not much interested in reading but ...when i entered into college ...i first read two books of CHETAN BHAGAT - The Indian Author 1 st book was 'FIVE PONT SOMEONE' and other was 'NIGHT AT CALL CENTER' Very nice books after reading these two book i fet in love with reading now i m reading his third book '3mistakes of my life' all guys should read these books very interesting books
21 Jun 08
That's good to hear! What are those books about?
@uiwwitch (892)
• United States
21 Jun 08
I was about 12 too when I found an old book that used to be my Aunt's. It was hidden an was forgotten forever until I found it. I decided to read it and I enjoyed it very much. The n I decided to pick up another book and enjoyed that too and that was the start of my love for books. Even then I would spend a lot on books. When i got older I also introduced my younger sister to reading because I believe it improves one's vocabulary and imagination. She's now as voracious a reader as I am and I couldn't be happier.
1 person likes this
21 Jun 08
You're right in saying that reading can improves one's vocabulary. When I was younger, I used to have a dictionary beside me in case I came across a word that I didn't understand. That's still the case now, and I feel that my use of the English language has improved greatly as a result of reading books and various magazines!
@schummi (924)
• India
20 Jun 08
well..it was the wonderfull THE BOURNE IDENTITY by robert ludlum ...which later became an addiction with me....and it started my habit of reading something or the other before going to sleep.....
@snowy22315 (168441)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I've been reading for pleasure ever since I was a small child. There were not a lot of things to do on a rainy day when I was growing up. Other than tv or playing a game reading was the thing to do.
1 person likes this
21 Jun 08
Hence today it's important to introduce children to reading even more than before, as there are so many things and gadgets around that could hinder the development of their reading interest. I certainly plan to introduce my children to books at an early age.
@patms1 (521)
• United States
22 Jun 08
My father was a man that loved to read and I think that's why I do to. I can remember my first grown up book. It was called Osa and Martha Johnson in Africa. I was 12 years old and I have never been without a book since.
@Shawchert (1094)
• United States
20 Jun 08
Wow that's going to be hard to say, because well, I have been reading for a loooong time. lol I've loved books ever since I was a child but I became more and more picky about what I did read because I guess I had to understand what was going on. But I think I'd read anything once if the first few chapters interest me!!
1 person likes this
21 Jun 08
Good point, sometimes I have to re-read a book from the beginning if I am a couple of chapters in and I still don't understand what's going on. If I don't understand what is going on, I just give up! I need to imagine myself actually there in the story with the characters in order for the story to be any good to me. Otherwise, I just lose interest quickly.
@Angelwriter (1954)
• United States
21 Jun 08
My mom started me reading. She read to me and my brother all the time. And, she used to buy books for us almost every week when she went shopping. My brother didn't become much of a reader (although he reads more as an adult than he did as a kid - I still wouldn't call him a "reader") but I did. As soon as I could read, there wasn't a time when I didn't like it. But, I think I totally fell for reading when I first read Little Women. Which is strange because at first I didn't want to read the book at all. I was about eight, and it was the longest book I had been given and it didn't look interesting at all the first time I picked it up. But, I got bored one day, and started and it's one of my favorite books ever. And, now I read a ton of books.
• United States
21 Jun 08
Some of my earliest memories were of reading with my mother when I was a small child. She would sit with me on the couch and we'd take turns reading to each other from my beginning reading books from school. When my mother left and my parents divorced, I was left to my own devices on reading on my own. It was, perhaps, the thing I missed the most. Then I was introduced to a book by Judy Blume entitled [/u]Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret[u]. Living in the Bible Belt, the book was forbidden by most parents. Of course, being forbidden, it was passed around by every young girl in the fifth and sixth grades to be read at night, under the covers with a flashlight. I was no exception. It was at that time that I discovered an escape from the world in which I lived and I could take journeys to unknown places and experience the lives of people so very different from my own. Even now, I read almost exclusively for pleasure and my interets vary from popular fiction to science fiction to true crime to self-help books. It is a way for me to find the escape from my life when my life has become unbearably painful or boring.
@Bluepatch (2476)
• Trinidad And Tobago
21 Jun 08
When I was in Primary school we had The West Indian Readers and they had some really interesting stories also my father used to buy the newspapers everyday and I started browsing through them at age five. At Christmastime I used to ask my parents to buy Albums which were large picture books with short stories and cartoons. Thats how I started and will never regret a lifetime of reading. One of mankind's greatest pleasures that always keeps the mind active. All children should be taught to read. Its a lot better than television.
@thaMARKER (2503)
• Philippines
21 Jun 08
Well I like reading when I was still in college. I spend my free time in our library reading books. I like fiction stuff most of the time 'cause it's more like my type of 'reading for pleasure' stuff. I love listening to music whenever I'm free too but since I can't put on an earphone in school, I read instead. When I'm in my place, if I'm not sleepy or feel like surfing the net, I do read -- for pleasure.
• Belgium
21 Jun 08
I mostly only read when I have to for school. But the last few years I noticed my hunger for reading has increased. I think it's just for the knowledge that you receive while reading.. That's why I only read books which have some interesting to tell and which actually can teach me something, like documentaries, study books.. I seldom read romans or thrillers..
• Canada
21 Jun 08
I have always read from the time I was introduced to books. I read comics (Archie and his gang) and then got into books. As a teenager, I bought allof the Hardy Boys books and many of the Nancy Drew books. As I grew older, I picked up more books and just read whenever I had nothing else to do, and sometimes when there was lots to do. I will read everything from Historical fiction and non-fiction to romance to spy to thriller. Only sci-fi and fantasy don't interest me. What inspired me? Most likely books that I read in school made me realize what pleasure could be had from a good book.
@banadux (630)
• United States
21 Jun 08
I started reading for pleasure as best I can tell because I saw my father reading for pleasure. I started reading some of the books that he had read as a child, I read many Tom Swift books, all the ones he had in his collection. I never got into the horror like he did, but I continued reading various things. Some other people sugested to me others because the cover caught my eye. I read lots of fiction military type books as well as fantasy. I did read a few things that were sort of different. Centennial I read was completely different form any other books I had read up until that time, it was recommended by my father. I would say that all of I've learned of reading for pleasure came from my father, and recently with my girlfriend I've learned to find that pleasure again, and spend a little bit of time away from the computer.