The relationship one has with reading varies from person to person. Some people are avid readers that constantly bury their heads between the inked pages, eagerly awaiting the next adventure each book has to offer. Others occasionally choose to pick up a book when they find free time amidst the chaos of everyday life. And there are also those that admittedly read little to none because the act of reading hasn’t brought them much joy in the past. Whatever description fits you best, all are valid relationships that people have with books.

Books have been around for countless years and continue to be a part of everyday life in various ways. They’ve been present in our education, homes, and even inspire other forms of media that we consume. No matter how frequently we may personally read, books are simply an inescapable part of society. 

As a child, I admittedly didn’t like reading. I would actively try to avoid it whenever I could. I saw reading as nothing but this tedious chore that could bring me no joy. It wasn’t until I entered middle school that I gave reading another chance after years of reluctancy. And I fell hard. I fell deep down into the world of books and I haven’t come up again since. I suddenly found myself constantly wandering the aisles of bookstores, exploring various genres, and investing all my money into books. 

As you can imagine, being a book nerd is an expensive hobby. 

Although my initial relationship with reading wasn’t the best, I can’t imagine not making the time to read now. Books offer me a means of temporarily trading in my own reality for something new. Whenever I find myself overwhelmed with the trials of my own life I simply pick up a book and transport myself somewhere else. Somewhere where I can indulge in impossibilities as they become a reality for me to experience. Books can take me to new worlds, introduce me to new people, and teach me valuable lessons. 

As strange as that all may sound, I know I am not alone when it comes to my views on books. Countless other readers share an admiration for books and their distinct qualities as well. Some of these readers are even present within our own TLU community. 

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Johnston, Professor of English here at TLU. Dr. Johnston teaches a number of different English courses that allow students to embrace their love of reading, discover new books, and connect with other readers through their shared interest in literature. I have had multiple opportunities to learn from Dr. Johnston in many of her classes and I wished to know about her own experience about being a reader. 

Dr. Johnston described that ever since she was a child she had a strong fondness for reading. She would check out multiple books from catalogs until she found herself being the kid with a stack of books in hand. Her love for books has never faltered or dwindled over the years and the people closest to her have noticed her continued passionate love for books. She recalled how once around the time she entered grad school she and her younger brother shared a conversation where he teasingly stated, “Why are you even here? You don’t belong in this family. You’re so weird.” It appeared that her love for books was enough to paint her as the unique one of the family. Although no one has outright referred to her as a nerd, she has fully embraced that she is a proud book nerd. 

Dr. Johnston noted that there are two things that really draw her to reading. 1) How books can create this moment of connection that allows your beliefs and thoughts to be verbalized on the pages, and 2) How books have the ability to suspend reality. She described reading as being this process where you don’t notice the time going by and your whole life just seems to disappear. “Whatever you’re worried about, whatever you’re stressed about, all of that is just gone because you’ve just spent 2 hours in another world,” Dr. Johnston described, “I love the way reading can just give you a break like that. Just take you somewhere else entirely.” She referred to books as having this “magical” quality and I couldn’t agree more. I too will be completely captivated by a story to the point where I grow unconscious of my own waking reality and fully embrace something new. 

Like I mentioned earlier, how often a person reads varies. For those of you who have never quite had a liking for reading, you’re not alone. Many people either don’t feel the same enthusiasm that other readers feel towards books, or they even wish they could feel the same enthusiasm. Some of us former non-readers eventually caught the reading-bug but others still struggle with understanding the draw reading has. Dr. Johnston recognizes this ordeal and wishes to help everyone discover their inner reader.  

To do this, she offers a multitude of different English courses (Ex: Love and Marriage; Men, Women, and Wilderness; Fiction Writing; The American Short-Story; etc.). She hopes that by offering these classes with different topics that she will appeal to a larger audience. She described it as her casting this figurative net that could possibly catch the interests of many people. “I want to help people understand that there’s a book for you out there. Even if you’re a person who thinks like ‘I’m not a reader’ there is a book out there that will make you a reader. There is!” If there is one thing that Dr. Johnston would like for people to know it is that reading doesn’t have to be boring and painful. It can actually be quite pleasant when you find what exactly appeals to you.

Some of the examples of her classes that I mentioned earlier are classes that allow students to read books related to romance, nature, interstitial fiction, and even gives them the opportunity to write their own stories. And that is just a portion of the types of reading opportunities offered in her classes alone. Other professors in TLU’s English department offer courses that explore different forms of literature that can pique the interests of readers and non-readers alike. In addition to potentially finding a liking towards reading you will most definitely find a community that can allow you to explore the world of books, no matter what kind of reader you consider yourself to be.

So as we start off this new semester, consider exploring the potential books can have for you. They can offer you a means of escaping and exploring new worlds, educate you on new ideas, and can lead you towards discovering something new about yourself. No matter how much free time you may find yourself with this semester, no matter how frequently you choose to read, know that books will always be awaiting your curious eyes and can always offer some relaxation when it is needed. And TLU is most definitely a place that fosters a love for books.