When did you first consider yourself a "reader"? It's a label we give not to those who use the written word to maneuver through the day with work and menus and newspapers. But it really identifies someone as a lover of books.

One of my earliest memories related to an interest in books, is when I would visit my local red brick library building. It was close enough that I could walk there as a pre-teen and lazily browse, quietly tiptoeing around the wooden floors. I remember scanning the packed shelves to spot something that would catch my eye. What I liked the best were the tattered and worn, faded covers. I reasoned that the more wear and tear signified a well used and often read, hence loved, story and that's the one I'd choose!

I started earlier with The Bobsey Twins and eventually graduated to Nancy Drew and Encyclopedia Brown. I had a nice run with biographies in middle school, thanks to a scholastic book club, learning about Florence Nightingale and other famous people. When I was a bit older there came a stint as a book-of-the-month club subscriber. As best I remember, my first real true loves were To Kill a Mockingbird and Gone with the Wind . I recall trying to hold back the tears while reading about Scarlet and Rhett in my freshman French class! A thriller/mystery, Leave Her to Heaven, that I found in my basement had quite a memorable impact!

Now I try to keep some variety in my reading list, and my "next" stack seems to grow higher on my nightstand all the time! Yes, I am one of those people you can label a Reader!

Happy Reading!
Frances