Why do I read?

I am often times asked, "why do you read?" This question usually annoys me and I usually answer with because I want to or because I like to. I guess people forget that reading is a hobby and it doesn't always have to be done for educational purpose but also for recreation. I guess kids my age only consider things that deal with dribbling, throwing or catching a ball as hobbies. I also enjoy these things but, reading can be in a way better than any sport at times.

Reading to me is like opening a new world of some sort. It's like being in a dream while awake and you can actually have control over it based on what you decide to read about. Not one person can say that they've never read a book that they didn't enjoy. This is because it's not possible for there to be a person who cannot find a book that they can really get into. There are books to fit the type of person anyone is. Like movies books can be found in genres like action, fantasy, horror, etc.

One thing I really enjoy about reading is the use of imagination which is probably the greatest thing reading has to offer. It's great to picture myself in the plot of the story. In my previous post I wrote about a book titled "The Dealer." While reading this it was great to picture myself as one of the agents on a mission. The more vivid the readers imagination the better the read will be for them.

Reading also has many benefits to the reader. They can build vocabulary and grammar skills by reading the works of professional authors. I for one learn many higher level words for reading which also helps me in school. I use these words in my writing in class and get points for having a good vocabulary, but I still need to work on my possesional nouns. From reading the work of proffesionals it can also help to assist the reader on developing a wrinting style based on what they like. I like the style of writing that Richard Wright has. He incorporates a lot of detail in what he's trying to describe. In '' Native Son '' the way he described how Bigger decapitated and threw Mary into the furnace made a realistic picture of what was going on in the text. Also the way Robert Muchamore describes the adventures and missions the CHERUBs undertake keeps me flipping the page when I read a book in the series.

I would like to encourage everyone one to read whatever material they can get that interests them. It doesn't have to be something informative and boring or even serious. They can read books like " Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse" which is a hilarious book that my ninth and current tenth grade english teacher let me read. I would juss like people to let their imaginations get exersize or let themselves be exposed to new things and ideas.

In reading a Richard Wright novel titled " Black Boy " the topic of communism came up. Now I had the notion that communism dealt with Chinese, Russian or Cuban leaders who oppressed their peoples. I never even new that their were communist parties in the United States. Did you? Even though most of its supporters who became leaders of countries were tyrants I always looked at communism as a potentially good thing if the leaders who advocated it were totally for the people as a whole and had no desires of self gain whatsover and were aware of their own mortality. I believe that its system of everyone being treated the same could make the would a better and nicer place, but growing up in a world of capitalism I can see the huge fuss a movie star or entertainer making the same wages as a street sweeper would cause. The point is reading can teach people a lot of things they didn't know before or express feelings in a way that can make people appreciate the authors ideas, while entertaining them.

To whoever reads this post I encourage you to read more and broaden your mind on many different topics. What are you scared of? The fact that you might like it?