Books are awesome, but they need readers to bring them to life. Welcome to Erin Reads, where my mission is to do just that. I’m Erin, a lifelong reader and a bookstore employee turned blogger.
Why I Read
When I was little, my mother would gather her four children every evening for story time. She read to us long after we had learned to read ourselves, combing the library for new and engaging novels to share with us. These are some of my very favorite memories, and I have no doubt they kindled my lifelong love of reading.
Books are amazing entities. They span time and space, reflect gender and race and religion and a whole host of other characteristics. They educate and create. They transmit knowledge and preserve ideas.
But without someone to read their words, books are just sheets of paper gathering dust on a shelf. Every book you read — regardless of whether it’s fiction or non-, whether you like or dislike it — becomes a part of you. By reading, you become a living library.
Reading is so important. It creates conversation. It exposes you to countless viewpoints, beliefs, places, cultures, personalities, relationships, and on and on. It helps you find your place in the world, simultaneously connecting and defining.
I read to be a part of that.
Why I Blog
Even better than just reading books is talking about them. All those experiences and connections and ideas just get better when shared. Reading doesn’t just allow you to connect to what you read. It also helps you connect with other readers and, by association, what they have read.
Working at an independent bookstore gave me my first taste of talking about books with other people. I’ve since moved away, but my desire to discuss books and reading has only increased.
Erin Reads is a place for me to share my thoughts and for like-minded readers to chime in. It is both a personal reading journal and a gateway to connect with readers around the world. It transforms me from an isolated reader, alone on my couch, to a member of a sprawling community of people who love books like I do.
I hope you’ll join in the discussion!
