I’m happy (and kind of proud) to say that my son and husband are brilliant men.  I really like listening to them discuss science documentaries or historical events at dinner.  I should say, though, dinner conversations can also be centered on our family’s plan for survival if zombies, vampires or vampire zombies, take over the world (or New Jersey).  I feel pretty confident in saying that should either scenario occur the Garcia family is well prepared.

When my husband and I first met, he had just finished reading “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” and decided to start reading the poetry of Langston Hughes and James Baldwin.   His interesting taste in literature was just one of the things that piqued my curiosity about him.  He gave me his copy of “The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes” and half way through my very first book of poetry, I found myself falling in love with my future husband.

Johnny has been an avid fan of books since he was very, very young.  Every night, Cas and I took turns reading him a bedtime story, a tradition that began when he was just 4 days old with Dr Seuss’ “One Fish, Two Fish”.  When he learned how to read on his own, his hunger for books was insatiable!  I remember how excited he’d get about going to the library with Cas to hand in books and pick up a stack of new ones.  When he was in the second or third grade, he told Cas and me that books are so much better than TV because “you get to see everything in your own brain and you can make it look any way you want!”  He’s almost 19 years old now and he still enjoys a good book.  His taste in literature is a little more discerning than mine, although he, too, enjoys a well written vampire book. The key words there are “well written”.

I’ve been on a vampire book craze for the last… year??  WOW! Yes, I do believe it’ been a year!  I kind of burned myself out, having just completed the last book of yet another series.  After only a few chapters, I found myself skipping multiple pages just to get to the (very predictable) ending.  I needed something to read, so I was going through my stack of books on Friday and I saw “The Odyssey” by Homer. I’d read it in High School and again in college. I’m pretty sure this copy is the one I bought in college, because the price printed on the cover is $2.95. I had begun reading it again close to two years ago, but for some reason, I stopped 1/3 of the way through. I am SO glad I decided to pick it up again. It is quite possibly one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read!

Unlike my vampire books, I have no desire to skip a sentence, paragraph or page.  The author sometimes takes 3 pages to describe a meal, but each and every word serves a purpose.  I’m going to read “The Iliad” next… I think I cheated in HS and read the Cliff Notes!!  It’s great to revisit these books as an adult!  After I’ve had my fill of the Trojan War, I’m going to get reacquainted with good old Billy Shakespeare.

I enjoy the feel of paper and turning the pages of a book, which is why I will most likely never get a Kindle. I can’t say this with any degree of certainty because in 2006, I clearly remember saying I’d NEVER trade in my portable CD player for an MP3…

I LOVE READING!!!!!!