Love to read?

Last night I was listening to a man in his 50's talk about his childhood. I was enthralled because this man had such clear memories, he could remember every minute detail. It was fun to watch his eyes as he was speaking as he searched his inner memory banks to recall even what his younger brother was wearing when his family gathered around the clunky black and white television to watch The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis in the 50's.

I admit it, I envy people that can do that. For whatever reason, I have very few memories of my childhood. But one constant in my life has been my love of reading a book.

My Mom once told me that she taught me to read when I was toilet training, to give me (and no doubt herself) something to do in there while I figured out basic body functions.

I became a voracious reader. The ability to read made me a snoopy kid. Reading also made me an escape artist or a procrastinator depending what chore I was trying to get out of. I would read anything. Newspapers, magazines, open mail lying around (including bills), any book, anywhere.

I would babysit for neighbors and read all their books. The couple next door probably would have been mortified to know that the 12 year old babysitter was devouring Peyton Place and Valley of the Dolls after their children were sound asleep.

My love of books continues to this day. At any given time, I have 3 or 4 different books that I am in the middle of. There's something about using a cookbook compared to a computer printout when trying a new recipe.

Someone suggested that I get a Kindle but I won't. I love the feel of holding a book in my hands be it a paperback or a heavy hard backed tome. I like the crispness of a new book as well as the old dog-eared copy that has survived the years.

Sadly, there are two downsides to my love affair with books. Buying new books is slowly becoming cost prohibitive and having so many books has made me an allergy ridden hoarder.

Which leads me to one of the internet's worst kept secrets.

PaperbackSwap.com.

This website has allowed me to not only get books (both paperback and hardcover) for the price of sending books to other members for the cost of media mail, but to clear some shelves.

These are not just old books either. This past spring I was listening to an interview with Ted Turner who was promoting his new book. The interview was interesting and I wanted to read the book. I went to the bookstore and the cover price was $30.00. I admit it. I balked. I then logged into paperbackswap.com and added it to my "Wish List". By June, a pristine copy of the book arrived in my mailbox.

paperbackswap is very easy to use, you can set your account any way you'd like too (allergic to cats, dogs or smoke? Use your settings to filter books out from animal loving smokers! ).

It's my belief that there isn't a book that doesn't get listed there eventually. I don't know where else I could have received a book from 1965 about Lefton Pottery nor made someone else's wish come true when I listed an obscure book about the Minnesota Legislature.

If you are interested in checking it out, please clink the icon below. If you love books and reading as much as I do, you won't regret it. Oh and parents? They have kid's books too! My Mother would have loved this site!