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The Benefits of Reading Good Books

August 1, 2018 By Author John Leave a Comment

Reading Good Books

Six Reasons to Read Good Books

Reading at Leisure Relaxes the Soul

In an age of non-stop action, setting aside leisure time for reading good books relaxes the inner you, your soul. I like the way Neil Gaiman states it: “There’s nothing like sitting down with a good book, and dog earring its pages and writing notes in its margins, when a particular passage or turn of phrase really lands. Books allow us to lose ourselves, and free our minds, if even for fleeting moments.”

Reading BooksSomeone might protest that they do not have leisure time. True. We live in a fast paced world, and that is all the more reason to carve out leisure time. I read for a half hour to an hour almost every night. I know of people who work in the area and have their lunch at a local restaurant. They carry a book with them and use that time for reading a good book at leisure. Carry a book with you to the dentist office, the doctor’s office, or the place you have your car serviced. One simply has to have the will to carve out a bit of time to read at leisure.

Reading Gives Opportunity to Pause and Give Thought

Much of what people take in today they take in by way of television, videos, and the like. They view the story instead of reading the story. When you view the story you do not have time to think about the nuances of the content. Reading good books gives opportunity to pause and give thought to what is being taken in. Viewing a movie I may relax and enjoy it, laugh or cry, but I do not have time to think about why this part of a scene is important, or what the impact is on my mind, or whether or why some aspect might be good or bad. Reading good books gives “leisure” to stop and contemplate the content.

Reading Stimulates the Imagination

Pirate StoryAs I mentioned in my previous blog, Robert Lewis Stevenson’s Treasure Island stimulated my imagination to act out my own pirate stories in my play and eventually to write pirate stories. Watching others act out a story on a screen has not had the same effect relative to stimulating my imagination. I have no data on the matter, but it seems to me that continually watching others act out stories tends to dull the imagination. We just want to go on to the next movie.

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Filed Under: Author Blog Tagged With: Christian authors, good books, good reading habits, imagination, pirate stories, reading at leisure

Guiding Kids Toward a Love for Books

January 17, 2018 By Author John Leave a Comment

A Love for Books

Engaging Kids via Christian Fantasy

Some Helps for Giving Guidance

Read for LifeI have heard parents and grandparents alike decrying the fact that their kids or grandkids have their nose stuck in their smart phones hour after hour and have no interest in reading. Sadly, for those kids it may be a little late to develop a love for reading. But, hey, you can try. Here are a couple of ideas for developing a love for reading. One for developing it in kids who are in fourth and possibly up through seventh or eighth grades (a number of factors involved relative to the latter), and a second for those below fourth grade.

A Love for Books: Idea One

When it comes to the older group mentioned above, developing a love for books depends a lot depends on family bedtime parameters. If there is no set bedtime, my idea has no merit. I used the idea when my sons were young (so it can work with boys as well as girls) and one of my sons has used the same concept. OK, so what is this “magical” concept? Well, it is not actually magical, but it does work with some kids. I do not guarantee it will work with all kids.

Accidental HeroesHere is the concept. If a kid’s normal bedtime is 8:30, offer to allow them a reading time beyond 8:30, say another 15 to 30 minutes (It is worth the extra time elements if it gets them reading). Also, offer the option of several good book for them to choose from and not just any old book. Good Christian fantasy will capture their imagination and as they get into it, it will give them a love for books and for reading.

Another option might be to offer an incentive to encourage reading. “Choose one of these book options, read it and give me a good verbal report on it and…” offer some incentive that will motivate them: financial, a movie, a special item they want from the store, etc. This option should be considered especially by those who have no set bedtime.

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Filed Under: Author Blog Tagged With: Christian fantasy, Christian fiction, encourage reading, good Christian fantasy, imagination, recommended reading

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John Edgell, Author

John has experience as a school teacher, a pastor, and has been a writer of stories since his two sons were knee high to a gnome.

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