Those books that make you want to live - a (rambling) thought piece

 

When I read The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of a Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson for the first time I took from the book a sense of how odd, unpredictable, and full of colourful characters life can be. Or, some of the biographies and autobiographies that I've read, they have left me in wonder at what it is some people are capable of accomplishing. How fully people can live their lives.

I come to the end of these books a little sad, but also wanting to live my life a little more fully myself. 

I doubt that anyone will ever write any books about my life. If they did it would be a wholly uninspiring read and, I suspect, readers would trudge through the book like walkers through thick mud as far as they could before discarding the thing for something more fun. Like walking on hot coals, or having pins jabbed into their knees. Something like that.

But, our lives are our own. And the successes that we count might not be inspiring to others, or apparently worthy of note. But, if they mean something to you, you should take pride in them.

At least, I think so anyway.

I am proud of this blog. I am proud that I am a bookish, thirty-something guy with enough wherewithal to put this sort of thing together and, apparently, even attract a few readers! (Yeah, you! You've no idea how grateful I am you're here!).

I take a lot from the books I read. So much so that it almost feels unfair. For ten pounds or so, I get pleasure, hope, knowledge, inspiration, and more! 

That's quite a bit, I think it's fair to say. And, being the sort of person who has, now and then, taken a look at himself and his life, not liked what he has seen and felt completely uninspired, I am grateful to all those authors that have created those works. The books that have lifted me up. The books that have inspired me.

I don't know if I can say that I am a successful person, but I do think I can say that I am a good person. I have been awfully confused sometimes. But, yes, I think I can say that I am a good person. And, the books I have read have quite a bit to do with that. I hope this passion for books never dies . . .

Thank you for reading, especially if you read this far.

Happy reading!

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