Reading: the Bread of Life

by Leslie Woodford
(Georgia, USA)

I just read an interesting article from the Jakarta Post. It points out a significant cultural difference between Indonesia and developed countries around the world. The author explains with surprise about a childhood experience in which a young Finnish girl living in Jakarta told her that she reads a 500 page novel in a couple days. The author was amazed that this young girl read a novel so quickly. She explains that the love of reading in developed nations is instilled in children from their earliest days. She believes that the love of reading leads to greater development for the individual, the community, and the country.

Wow! Wow! Wow! I never thought of reading and the love of reading as a cultural value. As a young child, I grew up in the home of a reading mother. We had no TV service in the Solomon Islands, so my mother read to me every night before bed. It was a ritual that I cherish. Each night we'd sit down with a novel (and I'd usually have a bowl of ice cream) and she'd read to me. I could already read, of course, but the warm feeling of spending time together created a positive attitude about reading. I learned that reading is a pleasurable experience.

As a teen, I continued to read for pleasure. I read countless juvenile fiction stories. Regular trips to the library--which was only a block away from our house--provided a continuous supply of reading matterial. I also read for information and to learn new things. Besides research projects assigned at school (boring reading), I remember reading for information that was a pleasure. For example, I desperately wanted a dog. I begged my parents for some time. When they finally consented, I went straight to the books to learn how to care for, train, and raise a dog. I still remember the lessons I learned about dog care.

As an adult, I read for information and for pleasure. I also devote time to reading to my children. Each night before bed, my two little ones snuggle up to me, one on each side and we read. We read picture books for the little one, and easy "boy" novels for the other one. We love it. The warm feeling of being cuddled up builds a love of reading that I hope will last them a lifetime.

To learn more about this topic and gain cultural insight about reading, see the full story here: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/10/15/reading-culture-the-long-journey-becoming-a-developed-nation.html.

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Oct 24, 2011
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It's never too late to read
by: Ann

I loved this story. I was a reader from an early age, though I never remember my mother reading to me or even taking me to the library. (Maybe they didn't have libraries back in those days -- ha!) Sometimes I got so involved in a novel that I took my book to bed and read until I fell asleep. If I didn't fall asleep right away, pretty soon my dad would holler, "It's too late to be reading, Annie! Turn that light out and get to sleep!" So then I would burrow under covers and read with a flashlight (torch for my British friends). Never TOO late to read!

If you didn't grow up reading, you can still become passionate about reading. Just let yourself get involved in a delicious romance, or scary thriller, or a relentless mystery, or an exotic tale that will whisk you to a faraway land and teach you something you never knew. It's never too late to fall in love with reading!

Jun 03, 2015
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Nice!
by: Ellen Moore

Interesting to get acquainted with different cultures!
I think, reading merits attention for your future employment!

Jun 12, 2015
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Good post
by: Mr. Kirstin Goldner

What a great blog you have!
I really love your awesome site. Reading is the first step toward success in life, and puts you on the path to making good money

Thank you very much for your great insights!

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