woman in bath reading with glass of wine

woman in bath reading with glass of wine

You know that feeling. You’re minding your own business when you hear or see words… interesting, seductive, tantalizing words. Someone’s speaking or maybe you read them in print. You want to hear more from this author. Maybe they have wisdom or humor or a great story. That’s when, against your better judgment, you reach for it…

You pick up that Kindle and order yet another book.

Hello.  My name is Laurie and I can’t stop reading.

I’m convinced being a book addict is like being a sex addict. You can never be sated. You’re constantly craving the next thrill. And once you’ve had one good experience (no matter how satisfying), you’re ready for the next.

I’m not ashamed to admit, many authors have passed through my door. Some were notable and life changing. Classic storytellers Leo Tolstoy, Thomas Wolfe, and Harriett Beecher Stowe come to mind.

Other encounters were quick and tawdry, yet strangely entertaining. I’m talking about Jackie Collins, Judith Krantz and Sidney Sheldon.

While others were in the middle –comfortable but in the end we were ready to part ways.  Best-selling mystery writers John Grisham, Sue Grafton and Lawrence Sanders I’m talking about you.

My addiction began with Dr. Seuss in first grade. The Cat in the Hat showed how words rhyme, dazzle and bewitch. Words are magical. They leap from the page. They tell strange, funny stories about creatures that defy authority but don’t get in trouble.

In elementary school I craved tales of girls having adventures like boys. I devoured biographies of Clara Barton, Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart. I reveled in high-school sleuth Nancy Drew and Swedish explorer Pippi Longstocking.

My early teens brought Mad Magazine and steamy paperbacks from the back shelves of the Five and Dime store. A woman I babysat for had this incredible “forbidden” book collection. At fifteen my eyes bugged out reading, “The Sensuous Woman” by J with its butterfly kisses and advice on how to make every man want you.

Then in my late teens came Joyce Carole Oates. And that’s when the game changed forever. In her novel, “Them” I discovered I could fall in love with a character. And when my heartthrob Jules was shot and “the spirit of the Lord left him,” I had my first literary cry.

The years went on and my book lust continued. In college, I’d lie on my narrow dorm room bed, absorbed in Erica Jong’s “Fear of Flying.” I daydreamed about sexy romps across Europe with a shaggy British lover and beat-up Triumph sports car.

Some characters seemed so real I didn’t want to say goodbye. I embarrassed myself weeping as I closed the covers for the last time on “Lady Chatterley’s Lover,” “Three Junes,” and “The English Patient.”

Sometimes the right book turns up at the right time. Deepak Chopra, Napolean Hill and Edgar Cayce came into my life when I needed spiritual, social, and psychic guidance.

You’d think by now this addiction would abate. After all, how much excitement can a girl take?

But if anything, the fever’s grown. Right now I’m reading, “Autobiography of a Yogi” by 19th century guru Yogananda. Before that was British classic, “Far from the Madding Crowd” by Thomas Hardy. Before that was the diaries of French writer Anais Nin. And before that was “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by the late Maya Angelou.

I can’t stop.

So what drives this addiction? Is it always the quest for THE ONE? Are we simply searching for the ultimate wisdom that inspires, guides, and helps us understand not only life but ourselves?

Once in a while, sometimes when I least expect it…a book does exactly that. For me, it’s usually a novel. I put it down and realize I’ll never be the same.

I laughed. I cried. And now I’m spent. I need a break.

But all too soon, that siren song starts up again. A new author will be heard on the radio or talked about in the local coffee shop. Those words start to tantalize.  My hand hovers over that Kindle.

Do I really need another?

And always the answer is… yes.  Oh yes.

You bookworms out there understand. Will we ever be satisfied? Will we ever get enough?

Probably not…but maybe that’s half the fun.

 

What books changed your life? I’d love to hear and if you like what you read, please share. Thank you.

Comments(66)

  1. I have an entire leg dedicated to reading and more specifically Dr. Seuss.
    Tattooed permanently. It’s who I am.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      Carla, As a reader, I totally get that. Words are sacred. Thank you for reading.

  2. I love books – I keep my local library busy (I don’t have the funds or the space to keep buying new books) Your reading list is a little more esoteric than mine, I’m more of a fantasy novel or Nora Roberts or whoever writes a good character based novel, kind of gal. You did sum it up beautifully – I always know a book is good when I want to find out what happens but I don’t want to get to the end.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      Isn’t that true, Leanne? That’s the hallmark of a good book for me, never wanting to say goodbye. They don’t come along often but when they do, its great.

    • Dana

    • 8 years ago

    A book that has stayed with me since 1985; The Silver Nutmeg. Still waters aren’t the only ones that run deep.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      Dana, Writing down that title now. Thank you.

  3. I LOVE this post so much. I’m going to share it in some of the reading related groups I’m in on FB. GAH. It’s soooo true. I’m all of these things, too. I’ve been reading my whole life and can remember falling deep into books in my 20s, once I started reading for myself again, after school. So so good.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      Thanks so much, Andrea. I think true book worms understand how we couldn’t live without books. They enrich life so much. Thanks for reading.

  4. I was working with a student who had to answer the question: what is your favorite book? His answer: still looking. I liked that! He was a voracious reader too. Yes, I can relate to this post! Probably the first book to have a big impact on me was “Little Women.” Like many young girls, it hadn’t dawned on me that being a writer was a worthy goal. This book changed all that.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      Risa, Don’t you love the books that change you? That make you see life differently? That search is what reading is all about.

  5. My husband, as much as he loves reading, can’t understand how I’ll walk from room to room reading my Kindle and even sneak it into the loo! 😉

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      Corinne, I’m the same way. I love the way my Kindle fits in my pocketbook. I’ll bring it everywhere.

  6. So relatable, Laurie! I loved the same type of books growing up as you did and had a near-complete collection of Nancy Drew mysteries. And it is definitely a life-long addiction that I will keep feeding. Maybe we all need a 12-step program? 😉

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      Lisa, Its definitely a lifelong addiction that always needs feeding. I love the fact that books will always be there.

  7. I am not a lover of the Kindle, but I am learning to appreciate its merits. I still love a good old fashioned paper book. The love affair with books is something very real and you’ve described it so perfectly here.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      Thanks so much, Lisa. To be honest, I didn’t think I’d like the Kindle as much as I do. But there’s something nice about carrying about a virtual ton of books when I travel.

  8. Oh, what a fabulous jaunt through your favorite reads across the years. Masterfully written.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      Thanks so much, Julie. It has been a fabulous jaunt! Thank you for reading.

  9. I’m a book addict too. The best I read recently were: The Martian, Trail of Broken Wings, and Let’s Take the Long Way Home.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      Thanks so much, Christine. I’ll write those down.

  10. Dare I say book slut when describing myself? I think not because I am discriminating in my tastes. I confess, I have six books in my basket at the moment. What a wonderful addiction to have–I hope you are passing it on to your children!

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      CandidKay, I’m the same way. I mostly read good stuff, but veer off occasionally into the more tawdry area. Have to have some fun! Thanks for reading.

  11. I love this post, and the fact that we shared parts of the journey (from the Nancy Drew mysteries to the Jackie Collins steamy guilty pleasures of high school and on to DH Lawrence…)! As a young girl the Judy Blume books were game changers for me. The one that stays with me always is To Kill a Mockingbird.

    A few years back I read Homer’s Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned about Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat. This one book hit me with all of the feels, and it helped me make some life-altering decisions.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      Those feline books look fascinating, Karen. I’ll have to look into those. Cats and books…what could be better?

  12. Never. I will never be satisfied. High low and in between. Damn the thumb print purchase on the iPad.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      Thanks for reading, Anna.

    • Krista

    • 8 years ago

    Read Ishmael, and it really changed me.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      Thank you, Krista. Will do.

  13. Totally me! I am addicted to reading & to my kindle …. 😳 Glad I’m not alone!

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      Linda, No, you’re not alone at all. I’ve been a reader all my life, but found the transition to a Kindle effortless.

  14. What an awesome post. You put it so well. I love reading. Its part of who I am. Always will be.

    Before kids I read voraciously. At least 2 books a week. I reviewed every book I read online.

    Some of them changed me. Have you read The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak? It’s special.

    Margaret Atwood. Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Ruth Park. Tolkien.

    I could go on.

    I love science fiction. Historical. Literary. Contemporary. Lately I’ve been reading some non fiction.

    I find it so much harder now with small children. Theres no time in the day and when I read before bed I usually want something I’ve read before so that it’s easy to put down.

    I still think about my books and which books id love to read next when i have the opportunity.

    I have around 600 books on my shelved and have totally run out of space, so now I get books on my kobo. I love books as objects but what I discovered when my husband bought me an ereader was that it is the story that matters most to me. I can be submerged in the story whether it’s an ebook or a book

      • Laurie Stone

      • 8 years ago

      Rebecca, Its funny, as a lifelong reader I found transferring to the Kindle very easy. I get how its nice to hold a book, but I don’t mind the Kindle at all.

      Sounds like you and I have read many of the same titles. I know its hard with small kids, but try and carve out a reading niche for yourself, even if its a few times a week. You deserve that little break.

      Thanks so much for reading and come back and visit!

  15. It IS like a sex addiction, isn’t it? I’ve lost count of the number of books/authors I’ve taken to bed with me! I’m insatiable–and proud of it.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 7 years ago

      Me too, Roxanne! If every book was a man, my life would be quite exciting (not to mention exhausting).

  16. My name is Tricia, and I am a book addict. What’s really terrible is that I work from home. So all day every day is an exercise in willpower. For the most part, I am pretty good about it. But I will admit that a few times a year I get to a point in a book where I just can’t stop and I crawl in bed after everyone else leaves the house for the day and I read until I finish the book or someone catches me!

      • Laurie Stone

      • 7 years ago

      Oh Tricia, you just described my perfect day. Reading in bed. Just the thought makes me feel guilty but how wonderful it is! Thanks for reading.

  17. Yes. Reading. I buy books and tell my husband he can be relieved I prefer them to jewelry. When I see my library mostly full of books I haven’t gotten to yet, it makes me so hopeful for my future! Better than a line-up of lovers, for sure.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 7 years ago

      Ren, I’ve said the same thing to my husband. Better a book addict as a wife than a “diamonds and furs” addict. I also think we readers are more interesting, if a little nerdy. Oh well.

  18. Love this Lisa. I am always reading a book, since the early days when my mother handed me LITTLE WOMEN and suggested I might like it. I was hooked and weekly trips to the library determined the happy hours of my life. In my fifties I went through a scary time with a problem with my left eye. (I have some medical history with both eyes.) All I could think about was reading. I have to be able to read. But I got through that rough patch and treasure every hour I am quietly locked away with a book. You might enjoy my post this week. http://boomerhighway.org/reading-stories-can-change-your-psyche/

      • Laurie Stone

      • 7 years ago

      Beth, Loved your piece on reading and empathy. Commented. I’ve also been having eye trouble (what is it with us readers?) and had the same thought. I decided I’d just switch to audio books. Hopefully it’ll never come to that. Once an addict, always an addict.

  19. Dr. Seuss, Pippi Longstocking and Erma Bombeck are all ones I remember so well as a youngster. Also, my first sort of disturbing book I read from teen years and will never forget is “Flowers In The Attic.” That one still has lasting memories. I love the feeling that a good book gives…the escape to another place and the emotions it can conjure. Unfortunately, I wish I had more time in the day for reading. I must admit, there are days, I’d rather read a book than have a sex. Lol

      • Laurie Stone

      • 7 years ago

      Laurie, “Flowers in the Attic” was a disturbing book! We all have “that” book that took away our innocence. Finding time to read is always a challenge. More and more I read in the morning with my coffee. Its a wonderful way to start the day.

  20. I haven’t been reading much because I needed glasses and the drugstore readers were giving me headaches. I JUST got my new glasses today and immediately read for an hour. Thank you for this post, it’s just what I needed today.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 7 years ago

      Michelle, Scratch a writer, there’s always a reader. We’re all lovers of words. Glad you’re back on the reading track. I can’t imagine life without it.

  21. I have a book sitting right next to my laptop – I alternate between writing and reading – my two greatest pleasures. And (like Carla) I have a book tattoo too – from Hans Christian Anderson’s Little Mermaid (not the Disney version).

      • Laurie Stone

      • 7 years ago

      Leanne, I need to do two things each day — read and write. I guess they play into each other. Love your tattoo! You’re giving me ideas…

  22. THIS is awesome. It helps me remember who I am.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 7 years ago

      Michelle, Yes, I’m always so happy to be in the company of readers. We’re a special (and lucky) group!

  23. So true…I read a book or so a week and when it ends I feel like a lost an old friend..until I start the next one..

      • Laurie Stone

      • 7 years ago

      Renee, That sums up the process beautifully.

  24. What are you reading is something I ask friends all the time. I really don’t have good friends who don’t read because well they don’t read! I read a few months ago in time for the anniversary of JFK being shot, Steven King’s 11 22 64. It was I think the second Steven King book I ever read because I am not a big fan of scary or fantasy but this one I read as a ‘what if’ historical fiction.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 7 years ago

      Haralee, Steven King is great for horror, which I usually don’t like, but he does so well. I read “Pet Cemetery” which freaked me. I was alone in my apartment and my clothes dryer noise started sounding like a heart beat. I knew then I wasn’t cut out for scary stuff.

  25. Yes, yes, and yes! As I read off the authors you listed I checking off much-loved authors and looking for ones I haven’t read. It’s an addiction, but one I don’t ever want to quit!

      • Laurie Stone

      • 7 years ago

      Rena, I think reading is one of the finest things a human being can do. I can’t think of a greater pleasure.

  26. Decades ago, when I was still a smoker, I’d panic if I found myself in a situation without cigarettes. I have to admit that I have a similar feeling (admittedly a tad less intense) when I find myself without something to read. So yeah, I guess I’m an addict.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 7 years ago

      Roxanne, I’m the same way with books. That’s why the Kindle is especially dangerous. I already have 250 downloaded. That way, I’ll never run out! I told my husband, its my most prized possession.

  27. I too share this addiction. I love anything written by Richard Russo or Anna Quindlen. I cut my teeth on Nancy Drew and the classics. I had a phase when I couldn’t get enough mystery novels and fell in love with P. D. James and Barbara Vine. For fun I’ve enjoyed Janet Evanovich. I’ve been terrorized by Stephen King. Now I’m stuck in a rut of nonfiction but I read on, hopeful I’ll return to the land of fiction eventually. My kindle keeps me from going through withdrawal. Great post, Laurie.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 7 years ago

      Thanks so much, Molly. Stephen King traumatizes me as well. Have only been able to read a few of his! Hope you get back to fiction, there’s nothing like a good novel.

  28. I hear you Laurie! I just love reading and always have a good supply ready and waiting. I’ve decided I’m going to re-visit Jane Austen but I’ve also just finished Jodie Picoult’s ‘Handle with Care’ and 3 of Lisa Genova’s books. Yes I do think we are sexier LOL:) A good book, relaxing and becoming absorbed with the characters, perhaps and glass of wine and I’m happy!
    Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond

      • Laurie Stone

      • 7 years ago

      Sue, Nothing makes me happier than having a good book… and many waiting in the queue. I’m not sure where us bookworms would be without those authors.

  29. A-Ha! Now I understand you, Laurie!
    I’m always, ALWAYS reading . . . something. Just finishing the Flavia de Luce series that some of my grandchildren recommended. (I have to read what they read so we can talk about them afterward!)
    I think it is so cool that you and I both started with The Cat in the Hat in Grade One.
    And moved from there to Nancy Drew and eventually Mad Magazine!
    I get very emotionally involved in what I read, so I’m forced to keep my choices fairly . . . gentle(?).
    Or they haunt me forever.
    And I do mean forever!

      • Laurie Stone

      • 4 years ago

      Diane, I never read thrillers or even mysteries. They all seem about death, in usually grisly ways. I’m neurotic as it is and don’t need that.

  30. If you are going to have an addiction this is a good one to have. Wait, my m om and one point was running up a $500/month Amazon bill on her Kindle. I wish I had more time to read. I miss it.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 4 years ago

      Lauren, I’m afraid to think what I’ve spent on my Kindle, but am so addicted to it. I totally relate to your mom’s Kindle love.

  31. I need books like I need air. So…nope…will never be satisfied! 🙂

      • Laurie Stone

      • 3 years ago

      Diane, Ha ha! Me too!

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