A Read*-a-saurus

When When I was in fifth grade, my mom went on a field trip with my class to the St. Louis Science Center as a parent chaperone. I don't know what we did there, but I have this vivid recollection of the green Nike jacket I wore that day, on which I displayed (with pride) a yellow button that read "I am a book-a-saurus" along with a picture of a dinosaur reading a book. I am sure I wore this jacket (and button) nearly every day the winter of my 5th grade year. However, it will forever in my mind be associated with this field trip because of the conversation my mom had with my teacher during the field trip.

My teacher told my mom that I rarely got in any trouble at school... No surprise there, I was a people-pleaser--still am, in fact... EXCEPT when she had to tell me, multiple times, "Angela, put-down-that-book!" Though my teacher told my mom this story in jest, because, what teacher complains about a student whom she has to reprimand for reading too much?, she really did have to frequently tell me to stop reading.

See, I was the type of kid who would finish my homework early, and immediately pick up my book and begin reading. Then, when the rest of the class had finished math and it was time for social studies, I would still have my nose in the book, even as my teacher began the next lesson.

All that to say, I LOVE TO READ! My dad says I get it from my mom--well, all my sisters do. My mom has always been a big reader, and I am thankful that she passed her love for books on to me; in fact, I think the reason I remember that fifth grade field trip so well is because my mom loves to tell that story and brag on how much her daughter(s) love to read.

I went through a period of several years (much of high school and college) where I had to read so much for school that I didn't have much time for pleasure reading. Then, I started teaching, and had even less time for pleasure reading (unless you count all those freshmen essays--oh wait, pleasure reading...).

Then, in 2007, I met Casey. Casey is also a book-lover (one of the many reasons I love him). Prior to meeting him, it had been several years since I had been so lost in a book that I lost touch with reality. In part because I was jealous of the enjoyment he found in reading (oftentimes when I was grading or otherwise working), and in part because he openly encouraged me to pick up books again (he bought me two of his favorite books the day after our first date), I began to rekindle my love for reading.

According to Goodreads.com, where I track books I have read and ones I am planning to read, I read 15 books in 2010. I'm pretty sure I read more than this, but I am still getting used to recording my reading patterns on a website. Still, it's not too bad! Over a book a month. Here are my books from 2010, in chronological order:

1. Snow Falling on Cedars by David Gutterson
2. Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
3. This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff
4. Empire Falls by Richard Russo
5. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
6. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
7.Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
8. Plan B: Further Thoughts On Faith by Anne Lammott
9. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
10. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
11. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer
12. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
13. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress By Rhoda Janzen
14. On Writing by Stephen King
15. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King

I also have to add that the only reason I am even blogging on this topic is because I just finished my first book of 2011 (Cujo by Stephen King**), and I can't bury my face in a book while Casey sits next to me watching football, so instead, I blog about reading. It's a terrible thing, that feeling of not having a good book to read, and REALLY wanting to read. I need another book...

*I originally titled this blog entry "Book-a-saurus," but later remembered that my button was actually called "Read-a-saurus." When I google image searched for "read-a-saurus," I found an exact replica of the button on my fifth grade jacket!

**Yes, three books in a row by Stephen King. No, I'm not a big fan of the horror genre. I suppose that is a topic for another blog.