Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Reasons I’m Thankful for Books


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

A white plate covered with a grey napkin that has a sprig of red and brown berries and a card that says “thankful.”Credit for this Thankful freebie blogging idea goes to Rain City Reads who blogged about it in 2019.  It was a great idea for a post, and I’m grateful to use it today.

I will be mentioning the Covid-19 pandemic briefly in this post.

1) Meeting Likeminded Folks

Life can feel isolating and lonesome sometimes. There is nothing like getting to know a character, author, or fellow reader who shares your identity, or your diagnosis, or any other number of labels and realizing that you are not alone. Other people have been through X, too, understand even the parts of it that can be difficult to explain to those who haven’t had those same experiences.

 

2) Answering Common Questions about Group X

I’m the sort of person who is shy about asking people questions about the differences between us because I don’t want to be the tenth person to ask them that question this week or to make them feel uncomfortable. I’d much rather read a variety of perspectives about that topic so that I’ll at least have a framework of what is and isn’t appropriate to ask someone who may be from a completely different religion or culture (or what have you) than mine.

 

3) Providing an Education 

No one is ever too old or too young to learn new things. I think books are an excellent way to learn about so many different topics, from dark matter to math to the stories that I never learned in history class. In 2020, I found comfort in reading about the 1918 Flu of all things. Seeing how people dealt with that pandemic helped me figure out some good coping skills for this one.

 

4) Making Me Laugh

I know I talk about my love of humorous books a lot here, but I’ll say it again. Humour is an important part of life, and I think there’s value in seeking it out as often as you reasonably can.

 

5) Distracting Readers

This is related to #4, but we all need distractions from the troubles of this world after we’ve done what we can to reduce suffering and push things in a fairer and more peaceful direction. Reading something spectacular is one of the tools in my toolbox when I need to rest.

 

6) Showing a Better Future

Not to sound like a Pollyanna, but I think there’s something to be said for dreaming of the way things could be changed for the better in the future. People need hope, and stories can be a wonderful place to replenish that feeling if we read the right sorts of books.

 

7) Meeting Folks Who Are Nothing Like Me 

Whether they’re found in biographies or fiction, I think there’s a lot of merit to purposefully seeking out stories about people who might appear to have nothing in common with you at all at first glance. You can learn all sorts of interesting and useful things about them if you quietly listen to what they have to say.

 

Closeup of pages fanning up and out from an opened book. 8) Finding Good Quotes

I have not always been that reliable at writing down meaningful quotes from books, but I’m striving to be better at it. Quotes come in handy for all sorts of things, from reminding you about key moments in a story to providing motivation in difficult times and more.

 

9) Having Something Interesting to Talk About

This pandemic has made every day bleed into the last for me because of how repetitive so much of it has been as I dodged germs and avoided in-person socialization for most of it. There are only so many conversations I can have about the weather before I feel the urge to talk about something else, and books are a great place to start if the other person is at all bookish or interested in fiction.

 

10) Enjoying Some Non Screen Time

No, I’m not going to be putting down television, smart phones, or the film industry here. I think it’s silly to pit them against books as if one is better than the others.

Sometimes I watch TV or films. I surf the Internet a lot, too.  At other times, reading appeals to me more. I’m grateful for all of these forms of entertainment and how they’ve gotten us all through the past few years.

60 Comments

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60 Responses to Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Reasons I’m Thankful for Books

  1. Oh, this is a great choice of topic, Lydia. I might need to bookmark it for another freebie day in the future. 😍 All of these are great reasons to be thankful for books. I especially second the first point you made about meeting other like-minded folks since I have very few reader friends in my life!

  2. This is an excellent list, and I can totally relate to #2 as well.

    Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!

  3. Definitely agree on number ten. It’s such a joy to get home, leave the phone in another room, and settle into a good chair with something to drink for a few hours. Background music is optional…

  4. Aah love it Lydia!

    Providing an education, definitely. Readers are general more informed, that I’ve realized. And of course meeting like-minded people. That’s the best part.

    Enjoy9 the rest of your week Lydia!

  5. I love this! And I agree with you about almost all of these. 😉

  6. Thank you for sharing your feelings on books and what they can do for people. And you are so right about books offering education, hope, and release!

    Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
    https://readbakecreate.com/a-feast-of-food-related-books/

  7. Cathy @ What Cathy Read Next

    Great take on the topic. Similar to your point on education, books can take me to different times, places and lives of people I would never otherwise experience. They can challenge as well – different ideas, views, etc.

  8. Lindsey @ Lindsey Reads

    This is a great list! I can only agree with all of it.

  9. Fabulous post and I heartily agree with each one! Book people are the best people! I’m happy we have connected in the virtual world!

  10. This is a really lovely, thoughtful post Lydia!

  11. This is such a lovely list! I agree with all these and are thankful too.

  12. Great list! I agree. I’m grateful for books for so many reasons. They teach me, transport me, comfort me, help me learn about other places and people, etc. I’m so glad I’ve been a lifelong reader!

    Happy TTT!

    Susan
    http://www.blogginboutbooks.com

  13. #7 is soooo good! I love them all, but this is one of the biggies for me. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

  14. It is wonderful to meet likeminded people through our mutual love for books.

    Happy Thanksgiving!

  15. I love this list, and can absolutely identify with every one of these reasons. In addition, reading has been shown to build empathy!

  16. What a great list, Lydia. I like your thoughts and was nodding my head as I read these.

  17. Lovely list – without books where would we be?

  18. Excellent list – so many thought provoking thoughts & ideas; I particularly agree with the meeting people not like me – whether on the page or screen, I think that’s incredibly helpful and even necessary. Have a terrific week.
    Terrie @ Bookshelf Journeys
    https://www.bookshelfjourneys.com/post/ttt-thankful

  19. I love this post! I also turn to books to answer my questions. There are lots of topics that I’m curious about, but I don’t know who or what to ask.

  20. Jo

    Love your choices for this week! So many reasons to be thankful for books.

  21. These are all great reasons to be thankful for books! I agree with so many of your reasons.

    Happy TTT on a Wednesday! My post: https://bookwyrmknits.com/2022/11/22/top-ten-tuesday-thankful-for-anthologies/

  22. I love this topic so much! Your answers are so great too. Books are so important and I’m so thankful for them too!

  23. Great list and would have to say I agree with all of them. Books are great.

  24. vidya

    Love your list and will keep it in mind for a future top ten…

  25. Hello, pretty great reasons to be grateful for books, and I agree with a lot of them. I get thrilled when I see a heroine that shares my background, or when I feel that I am transported back to history without worrying about being, well, skewered due to my status.

  26. Great post! I agree with all these points, too. Reading really is magical

  27. I use TV or movies WAY too much as end of day thing. Really need to get back to reading and discovering the many amazing stories there are. 🙂 Thanks so much for visiting my website on this week.

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