Why don’t people read more?

I just finished reading “Game Change” by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin. Both men are very well known, and the build-up to the book’s publication was tremendous. When it did come out, it was a hit! It’s about the last presidential campaign and it covers Obama, the Clintons, McCain and Palin. It goes into their campaigns and what went on behind the scenes. There were many surprises, and I found it very hard to put down. Reading this book made me realize how little people actually know about what goes on behind closed doors when people are running for office. They can start out being nice and gradually get down and dirty as time goes on. The entire read was fascinating, and I think everyone should read it. But no one does what I say, so why even say it?

I don’t think people read as much as they used to. I know I don’t as I watch a lot of television when I could be reading. But I have loved to read all my life, and I think I passed that on to my daughters. I know for sure one thing I passed on which involved reading. I loved all the gossip and movie magazines and still do. I used to buy some when the girls were little, and they learned to love them also! I hang over grocery check-out counters trying to read as much as I can of the tabloids. I don’t buy them anymore – who can afford to these days? But I did read good books to my girls when they were little. I loved doing that and I think they enjoyed it. I read to my grandsons and even have a picture on one of my blogs of my reading to Harry when he was about 2 months old. I was with Teri, Mark and Harry in Mexico and was babysitting for them one afternoon. So I read “Looking for Mr. Goodbar” to Harry. The book was about a real woman, Roseanne Quinn, who had moved to New York City. She was a sexually repressed school teacher (aren’t they all?) who went to bars after school to seek out men and find out about life. She really got into it until she met Richard Gere . . . not actually Richard. He just played him in the movie. Anyway, he didn’t come up to her standards in bed which made Richard crazy mad, and he stabbed her to death. So that was the end of the bar-hopping . . . and of her. Harry seemed to like it, even thought he didn’t comment and his eyes were closed. I told him when he was old enough I would take him to see the movie with Richard Gere and Diane Keaton. I don’t think he heard me as he must have fallen asleep a long time ago.

The above picture is of my mom reading to Cindy who was about 4 months old and Teri who was 4 ½ years old. I’m sure she was reading an age-appropriate book, not one like “Looking for Mr. Goodbar.” She wouldn’t have had anything to do with a book like that. Sometimes I wonder if maybe I were adopted! You can see that Cindy is awake and Teri is listening intently. At least they stayed awake whereas Harry slept through my story. I love the picture and think it’s very sweet, and I’m so glad I have it. I would love to go back in time and have my mom read to me and my girls again. I miss those times a lot.