October is National Book Month, a celebration many of us take place in all year long! While some of us prefer fiction or nonfiction, a real paperbound book or a favorite e-reader, books are one of those things that can bring people and ideas together in a unique and connected way.
There is no escape quite like the one that can be found with your nose in a great book, no discovery like that of a favorite new title or author.
Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.
At Columbia Southern University, one way we celebrate reading for fun (not all reading has to be done for a course, of course!) is through the CSU Knights Read club. This is a great way for students and alumni to connect through their love of reading.
CSU Knights Read allows members to share recommendations, discuss favorite titles and authors, and gain insight on popular new books or classic reads. Members of the club are not required to read together or all enjoy the same genre. The thing about book lovers is that no two are alike but we all understand and accept each other anyway.
Joining CSU Knights Read gives students and alumni a little reminder to find time to read for enjoyment. Whether you have five minutes or an entire afternoon, picking up a book instead of turning on the television can do wonders for you.
Did you know that reading regularly can actually improve your health, help you sleep and handle stress better, make you more empathetic, and fight Alzheimer’s disease? That is more than enough reasons to pick up a good book regularly- doctor’s orders!
Reading is a pastime that you can develop as a child and never outgrow. It is a great way to expand your vocabulary, understand different schools of thought, and immerse yourself in stories and faraway lands, no matter how real or farfetched.
George R.R. Martin, author of the Game of Thrones, said it best when he said, “a reader lives a thousand lives before he dies; the man who never reads lives only one.”
For a different version of this sentiment, we turn to Dr. Seuss. “You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax; all you need is a book!”
Where has your favorite book taken you? What lives have you lived through the pages of an unforgettable story?
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