Love is in the air. And it’s our favourite kind: book love!
Book love is the best love
In books, romantic love is epic.
- people get second chances
- first love is true love
- problems bring people together
- love conquers all
- love can last forever
- and everyone ends up where they belong
In books, families are special people
- who you can always depend on
- who love you unconditionally
Or they’re terrible – but it’s ok because you can find a new family when you really need one.
Real life can’t compete with that.
Sometimes you need to escape
Whenever I see a book review that says the story wasn’t realistic, I ignore it. Who wants fiction to be realistic? Believable, yes. Realistic, no thanks.
One of the best things about books is that they provide an escape from real life. Even the ones that deal with tough subjects. As long as they’re not the problems you’re currently dealing with. And when you finish the book, you will be rested and refreshed and ready to deal with reality again. It’s a moment of escapism.
A book is basically a mini holiday. What’s not to love about that?
Trying on a different life
People don’t just change their lives; we need to be inspired first. Reading about what could possibly happen, if you made a different set of choices, can do just that. If you are stuck in a rut, try reading about someone else making a change. Books where a character starts something new can inspire you to do the same.
It can also work the other way. Life isn’t always unicorns and rainbows. But it could usually be a lot worse than it actually is. Reading about someone else’s disasters can make you feel grateful for what you have. And happy with the choices you’ve made. Books can help you love your life again.
Experiencing new perspectives
Books give us the opportunity to experience things that will never happen in our own lives. I will never be an astronaut or an explorer or an opera singer. You will never be some of the things you dreamt about as a child. But that doesn’t mean we can’t experience what it would be like.
For a few hours, we can put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. And live a different life. This is what books offer us.
If you’re not feeling the love right now, why not open a book and try a different life for a while.
A fun learning experience
For those of us who write books, reading books is a fabulous way to learn. Great authors show us what to do. Less great authors show us what not to do. It’s all useful in our quest to become better. And we get to have fun learning, too.
That’s what I love about reading books. How about you?
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You might also like: How to Slow Time.
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Deborah Grant-Dudley 
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