Bibliophilia

Books. There is something truly enchanting about them. How they transport you to a different world, different era, different climate, different culture, and different place. They have a magical element in which you open the pages of a book and suddenly, you are there, engulfed in the setting, surrounded by its characters, breathing in their air, feeling the wind as it brushes across their faces, witnessing secret liaisons between lovers, and noticing small yet visceral details that makes it all the more real.  Perhaps the method in which the author utilized his words or how the sentence flowed produced the real scenery in one's mind. 

I'm a self-professed bibliophile. I truly enjoy reading books for pleasure. I could spend hours in a book store scouring for the perfect read or glancing through another period drama, finding an alliance with a cabby driver or seeking counsel from a wiser sister in 19th century England. I love being transported to different places and exploring and interacting with different characters. To understand where I'm coming from, when I read, it isn't just a superfluous reading a book. Rather, it is an experience. I experience the book, complete with mourning the loss of a character, sensing the emotional turmoil the protagonist feels, and feeling lost when the book ends. It may sound silly, but after finishing a novel, I have to watch a movie or distract myself from the perilous gains and losses I've experienced from a reading a book since I feel connected with that plot, character, and morale. Thus, with the explosion of leisure time I've gained with the school year finished, I've found myself with the ample time to read again. For pleasure. No more reading through endless chapters on Christian history or studying cognitive psychology. Finally. I can read about a Jewess's escapade to 1930s Britain or exploring Jane Eyre's world. I no longer have to view my books from my desk with a taunting air and resist the urge to put everything aside because of school. I can read again. Whatever I want, whether it's rereading The Great Gatsby or finally getting the chance to finish Emma, I can resort back to one of my original amours: reading. And with three months of free time, I plan to read the following books:

1. The House at Tyneford by Natalie Solomons

2. Emma by Jane Austen

3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 

4. The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman

5. Atonement by Ian McEwan

6. The Time in Between by Maria Duenas 

Do not be surprised if a synopsis or book review will pop up in the future, as I plan to delve in their worlds and experience everything. It will finally give me a chance to escape my boring hometown and go somewhere more exciting, like 1930s Spain. To fellow bibliophiles, I encourage to pick up a copy from the store or library and read on for yourself.