Why My Mom Reads (Guest Post: Connie Bridge)

This guest post is from my lovely mother. She is the reason I love to read and I am so grateful for this story. Now you can understand why I love to read. Thank you mom, I love you. 

                                                                                   

My love of reading started very young.

I remember my whole family reading the newspaper in the bathroom. We read the comics first, my mom and dad with a cup of coffee.

I remember my Grandma Brown's bookcase full of coffee table books and National Geographic magazines. (I think that is where I got my wanderlust, wanting to see those places in the books.)

I remember going to the drug store to buy comic books ($0.10 - $0.25 for the doubles) before going camping. Reading them on the upper bed in the camper on the way. (Maybe that is why I don't get carsick on TRAX.) We (my brothers and I) read everything from “Betty and Veronica,” “Richie Rich” to “Sargeant Fury and his Howling Commandos” to “Superman,” “Spiderman,” “Captain America” and everything in between. It was a short trip to the best camping spots.

I remember my mom letting me buy one or two paperback books from Scholastic Books in elementary and junior High school. I still have those books. I read Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys (which my brothers got) and anything else. 

I remember reading classics like “Little Women,” “Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn,” Shakespeare, Og Mandino: “Greatest Salesman in the World,” “Where the Red Fern Grows,” “Roots.”

I remember reading all the Louis L’amour western books, knowing that if I was being pursued by bad guys in the mountains I would know how to build a fire without smoke so they couldn't find me. (Hahaha it still might happen!)

I remember my favorite English teacher in 8th grade loaning me her books. One in particular was "Alive", the true story of the Uruguayan soccer team whose plane crashed in the Andes Mountains. I remember other teachers that were just as kind.

I remember starting to share books with my mom. These authors were Phyllis Whitney (mystery romance), James Michener (Hawaii, Centennial, Chesapeake and ALL his others), Rosamunde Pilcher (Shell Seekers, etc.), and too many to remember. Mom had an unbelievable library. Hundreds of great books and a huge variety, too. I miss her and our discussions about EVERYTHING.

I remember reading my dad's Sports Illustrated magazines and having discussions on athletes and coaches. I miss him and every time I open a Sports Illustrated or watch sports I think of him.

I remember reading books about Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, Hitler and other serial killers. After reading about them I will still could never understand how there could be such cruelty in this world.

I remember reading the complete Harry Potter series, waiting for the next one to come out. My cousin Valerie introduced these to me in 1999. Thanks Val!

I remember trying to read “The Hobbit.” After “The Lord of the Rings” movie series came out I went back and read that series as well as “The Hobbit.” Loved them!

I remember reading the “Hunger Games" series (can't wait for the movie!), "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" series, Stephanie Plum series (Janet Evanovich), Goldilock’s Catering series (Diane Mott Davidson). And so many others.

I remember reading books about the Holocaust, the Civil War, Tom Brokaw's book  “Greatest Generation,” Condoleezza Rice “No Higher Honor,” George Bush “Decision Points,” and others.

I remember reading LDS church history fiction novels like “Children of the Promise” by Gerald Lund, “The Nineteenth Wife,” and many others.

I remember reading biographies about the Presidents of the LDS church. About Porter Rockwell, Emma Smith, Lucy Mack Smith, John D. Lee (Juanita Brooks), No Man Knows My History (Fawn Brodie), Butch Cassidy, books on Native Americans.

I remember reading books by Paul Dunn and poetry books by Carol Lynn Peterson.

I remember reading the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. TRYING to read and finish the Old and New Testaments.

NOW I read and listen to books on CD by many, many authors. So many favorites. I would like to think I am a "hungry" reader. I want more. (Yes. I even have a huge Cookbook collection that I love to read!)

Morgan told me to give a favorite. I can't. The book that I am reading at the time I am reading it is my favorite. But here is the list of the ones I will pre-reserve from the library and fight for at Deseret Industries:

J.A. Jance: Joanna Brady series, J. P. Beaumont series

Sue Grafton: Alphabet series (Kinsey Millhone)

Faye Kellerman: Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus Series

James Patterson: Women's Murder Club series, Alex Cross series

Jodie Picoult: all her books (thanks Amy for introducing me to these books)

Kahled Hosseini: “Kite Runner”

Kathryn Stockett: The Help

Sue Monk Kidd: “Secret life of Bees”

Cynthia Voigt: “Home Coming” and “Dicey's Song”

Sorry this is so long. But now one can understand where and why my daughters got their love of reading. They come by it honestly.

-Connie Bridge