“World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day or International Day of the Book, is an annual event organized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to promote reading, publishing, and copyright. The first World Book Day was celebrated on 23 April in 1995 and continues to be recognized on that day.” -Wikipedia
Books are magic carpets that transport us to new places where we can experience life and meet new folks. Mary Schmich, award winning journalist, observes that, “Reading is a discount ticket to everywhere.”
Prolific, South African writer, Helen Exley, cautions us that books are powerful catalysts that can shift our thinking. She warns, “Books can be dangerous. She gives notice that, the best ones should be labeled “This could change your life.”
American novelist, Joyce Carol Oates, asserts that books offer us a chance to walk in someone else’s shoes. She verbalizes that, “Reading is the sole means by which we slip, involuntarily, often helplessly, into another’s skin, another’s voice, another’s soul.”
“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.”
Personally, as a self-proclaimed reading addict, I strongly agree with historical writer, Taylor Jenkins Reid, in her belief that, “…a good book should be either the entry point inward, to learn about yourself, or a door outward, to open you up to new worlds.”
Today, to celebrate World Book Day, I invite and challenge you to share, with a friend or colleague, a book you discovered as a delightful or informative read.
-Nancy Wales, csj
Images: Unsplash/Susan Q Yin/Jaredd Craig