Read All About It

[Billy Britt]

Two things people often say they need to catch up on, one is sleep the other is reading.Scientists disagree on whether we can make up for lost sleep, but any reader knows without a doubt that you can never have enough time to read all the great works.On average, I can read one book a week at an enjoyable pace, this would not however included the completed works of Tolstoy.Yet for all the reading it is quality that will always triumph quantity. But having access to many books is no crime either. Having a choice of different works is a joy and a privilege. In fact, the ability to read—a completely human power—is one of the greatest gifts I can imagine.From the Holy Bible to the simplest “How to Guide,” reading enables us to connect, to grow, to do. Reading takes a bit of trial and error out of life while affording us a wonderful trip to parts never before seen or known.Of course, for centuries, only the people of means and class were taught how to read. This was a not-so-subtle way of keeping the poor in their place. The ability to read is a great equalizer because it makes knowledge accessible. Democracy has its best chance to provide individual freedom where there is a literate society.Take for instance the founding of our country, John Adams said, "Without the pen of Paine the sword of Washington would have been wielded in vain."Adams was referring to Thomas Paine and his pamphlet entitled Common Sense.Paine’s work was first published anonymously on January 10, 1776, during the American Revolution. Common Sense presented the American colonists with an argument for independence from British rule at a time when the question of independence was still undecided. Paine wrote and reasoned in a style that common people understood. In his genius, Paine structured Common Sense like a sermon and relied on Biblical references to make his case directly to the people.At a time when America’s population was less than 2.5 million, Common Sense sold as many as 120,000 copies in the first three months, 500,000 in the first year, and went through twenty-five editions in the first year alone.Paine, in turn, donated his royalties from Common Sense to George Washington’s Continental Army. Historian Gordon S. Wood described Common Sense as, “the most incendiary and popular pamphlet of the entire revolutionary era.”Being able to read and understand the reason behind revolution, the people were empowered to make their own decision. So it is that reading gives us power, many times a power that lets us know beyond our experience. At its’ best, reading gives us a reason to think, and even at it worst, it gives us pause not to. So altogether reading is very good for the human animal. A book may have a thousand pages and in them not much at all but in every book an individual might find a page or two that changes their life for the better and forever. While we will never catch up on our reading it is always a good goal to try.

[John Richeson]

This caught my ey because on my never ending To Do List I have towards the top..."Catch up on Reading" I keep procrastinating on this. I have several books set aside that I have been promising myself that I will read. I am impatient and can not sit still long. Therefore have never been an avid reader. I envy those who are ..such as my wife. But I will do it. Next weekend for sure. I promise.

Interestingly I find myself reading a lot online. Not whole books but sometimes some pretty lengthy articles which fascinate me especially technology stuff. I have gained quite an education about my hobby, computers, just from reading online. The whole world is at our fingertips! I guess reading online is not the same but it is certainly a part of today's educational process.

[Anita Farwell]

Loved this post. Thanks for sharing, and I will share it tomorrow with the staff at the high school where I work. Soooo timely and says A LOT, so succinctly. God bless you,
Anita (Intriago) Farwell, one of the FL WOW's and Zolezzi's Sec. when we were all in FL.