The last few days I have been thinking about why I read. I have concluded there are several reasons. The obvious first one is that I enjoy it.....My mother was a school teacher and I credit her with first exposing me to books but come to think about it my father always had something in his hands to read also. I think he was more into newspapers and magazines though. I don't remember him reading books. I got started on the Kid's series books, Hardy Boys, Sugar Creek Gang, Nancy Drew mysteries, etc. So it was a habit formed at a very early age and has continued into my several decades of life. The books I read now fit into several categories that influence my reading.....and these are in no particular order or hierarchy........1. Spirituality----I read to better understand my faith and beliefs.----2. Politics----I guess one could tell my political leanings from seeing the books that I have read.----3. Flying----I have always loved flying, I have always wanted to learn to fly but probably never will so I read about it.- ---4. Adventure----There are places on this earth that I would love to visit and things that I would like to do but I may never get to, so I read about someone else doing it. (one of those places I would love to go is the South Pole). -----5. Nature----I think if we all took the time to see how other species on the planet live, we'd all be more in tune with our environment...this is a new area in my reading and I can thank Professor Bernd Heinrich, (biology, University Of Vermont) for enlightening me. I highly recommend his books........Other things I love to read about....Music, World War II and Civil War and sports...... Other things may come to mind which I will add later if they do. Anyway those are some of the primary reasons for why I read. Let me know your thoughts.