Bonding over Books

When looking through my bookcase I must admit I have a rather diverse collection. I know people who only read fantasy, westerns, self-help or historical romances, but I guess my tastes run the gamut of genres and styles. I have a number of non-fiction books, mostly travel, survival, nature and cultural exploration, such as Paul Theroux, Peter Canby, John Krakauer, Edward Abbey, and Aldo Leopold, to name a few, but I lean heavily toward pure fiction. I like to be entertained and I love happy endings.

 In contemplating how I arrived at my reading list I started to associate certain works with those whom I share an interest. My husband and I both read Clive Cussler and James Rollins (these are my favorite at the moment). I’ve given the Hunger Games and The Host a shot upon my niece’s recommendation; read mainstream fiction my sister passes down to me such as Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown, Linda Howard and Karen Robards; and my mom and I conquered Jan Karon’s Mitford series together. What do all these books have in common? They provide an opportunity to bond over books.  I find discussing a novel much more enjoyable than talking about the weather, jobs or arguing politics, and I can think of few better ways to bond with a teenager than over a story. But, most importantly this approach forces me to expand my horizons, discover new authors and it prevents my reading experiences from ever growing stale.