I was talking to my husband just the other day about how my interest in book genres evolves, such as what kind of books you are interested in. Over time, people seem to have different levels of interest in fairytales, fantasy novels, classics or whatever your literary focus of the moment might be. There are so many reasons that it happens– age, experience, random chance, relationships. Now, life follows no rules and everyone’s journey is unique, here is 6 different points in life that might have different book needs.
A life in books:
1. Learning to read
When reading your first extracuriculum books, you start with books with big pictures and little text. Funny, short, sweet and innocent, comic books are a natural attraction to younger ages and inexperienced readers, comics like Mickey Mouse and the Moomin, Comic Strip
2. The first novel
The first book is a chance to dip into picture-less stories that are engaging enough to hold the attention of small children and bold enough to encourage their imagination. Books like Tom Sawyer and the Secret Seven series are good books for those beginning their novel adventures.
3. The identity-forming years
You’ve outgrown the age of innocence and you enter the emotional turmoil of rebellious/identity-forming adolescence. Maybe now, your interest in books has declined or intensified. Books like The Catcher in the Rye
4. The family/ career-making phase
You have settled down and maybe you have found a purpose in the work you are doing or the making of your own family. Books like 7 Habits of Highly Effective People can give you some direction on how to respond to all the ever-growing demands in your life, or books like Two Caravans can help you relax when you finally manage to curve some ‘me’ time.
5. Slowing down
Now, you have your own family or you have established yourself in your work. You’re beginning to slow down and enjoy your achievements. It’s a good time to explore genres you’ve never explored before and finally get around reading all the books you’ve always meant to read. Now it’s time to read Gone with the Wind and Crime and Punishment.
6. The plentyful years
You are retired and once again you have plenty of time for reading; mainly reading fairytales to your grandchildren. Once again you find yourself enjoying the pleasures of comic books and children’s stories. Cinderella hasn’t ceased it’s appeal and Aesop’s Fables
Have you noticed patterns in your reading habits over the years?
