Welcome to Bookish Blatherings, a Bad Bird Reads feature where I ramble about bookish or bloggerish things and hopefully you will join in on the discussion.
I wasn’t sure what I wanted to write about tonight so I went on Facebook and saw this saying: I’m Not A Bookworm, I’m An Escape Artist. Is this true for you?
This saying made me think. Do I read to escape my life? Or escape my worries? Or escape my reality? Obviously, I read because I enjoy it. I like well written stories that leave me feeling something. But is it an escape?
Yes, I think it is. I have definitely zoned out while reading before. I get so immersed in a story’s world I sometimes don’t pay attention to my surroundings. I escape my reality just for a bit and put myself inside the book’s world. I even fantasize sometimes. Fantasize about being the main character and experiencing what they do. I create little stories in my head before I go to sleep, while in the shower, and even during a lull at work. I create new endings, new characters, new dilemmas all in my head and play it out to see where it goes. That might be the writer in me or maybe all readers do this.
Though, let’s get this straight. I am also a bookworm. 😀
So yeah, this is true for me. I read to escape the boring parts of my life, to create more interesting tales with me as the main character. It’s like dreaming while awake and I have all the control. It’s fun. It leaves me happy and excited. So how about you?
Do any of you read to escape whatever it is you want to escape?
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Christy LoveOfBooks
I totally do that too – make up stories in my head. I’ll even rewrite certain parts of a book I’m reading. This is an interesting question, though. I’m not sure. I guess that’s partly true. I’m too tired to think too deeply about this right now. 😀
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
Happy to hear I am not the only one to make-up stories in my head. It’s like a hobby. Obviously, I like to write down the good ones.
Melliane
That’s nice to escape but it’s not really to escape life it’s to discover new things too
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
There you go. A good point.
Carrie
Absolutely an escape for me. I always seem to have a crapload of stuff going on in my life and sometimes I can’t even concentrate on reading, but I do my best because once I do start to sink into the book the rest of the world seems to slip away and I’m at peace for a short time. Sometimes it’s simply for fun too, of course, but when I’m down or stressed or whatever the case, I don’t know what I would do without my books.
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
I agree, when I am going through a hard time, reading takes all the stress away, at least for a little bit.
Kristin
I think we all read for an escape, especially when you read fiction and fantasy. It’s nice getting to escape your world for a bit to live vicariously though someone else. There have been a few times where I’ve burnt dinner because I picked up a book and couldn’t put it down in time.
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
LOL, oh yeah, time flies when reading a good escape book. Someone can be calling my name and I won’t even hear them.
Shomeret
I am absolutely an escapist. It isn’t just my own life that I want to escape. There are so many things about the world around me that I despise. So I want to read about some other place or time to give me a rest from the news. The news is always so depressing. I also like what Tolkien had to say about escapism. He said that people who are opposed to it have the mentality of jailers. Why would it bother them that people escape through books? They don’t want people to even think that their lives could be different.
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
The news is very depressing. Life can be depressing. Books with happy endings are nice because life isn’t always that way.
Karen
You make up stories before you sleep??!!! Me toooooo! I have a whole series in my head lol
I think escape is a good term.
Karen @For What It’s Worth
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
LOL, that’s awesome! I love the stories in my head.
Melissa (Books and Things)
Yes, I read to escape. I also read to learn. Oh and yea, I also create little stories in my head all the time. 😀
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
I do learn a lot of stuff while reading. That’s a good point.
Nathan
I read to escape too. Reading can help relieve stress in my life. I also do a little writing and I create stories in my head. And, I also read to learn, though my 3rd lab has me learning about pathology.
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
That’s great that you write. I think that’s so important to write the stories in your head.
Braine
Oh yes, I’m an escape artist for sure hence talk supe and my alias, Braine. I think the bookworm part comes in when I start hoarding books, keeping up with new releases, authors, and what not.
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
Yeah, I think you can be both a bookworm and an escape artist.
Olivia Roach
I’m half and half. Sometimes I’m really just reading because I want to read and just want to keep busy in a book. But other times when life gets hard – I notice I read a lot more. Sometimes I just want to escape a bad or particularly busy day and bury my nose in a book. Then I truly do become an escape artist!
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
Yup, I am the same way. Sometimes I just need to escape a bad day or difficult situation.
Anna
I know I started reading to escape. As far as I know, reading is still the least expensive vacation a person can take. 🙂
Anna from elements of emaginette
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
LOL, well said!
Lover Of Romance
oh I definitely agree!!! There are times where I just want to escape the sameness of my life. Its never a bad thing to want to escape into a story.
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
Yup, so true. escaping in a good story is awesome!
Jaclyn Canada
Reading is absolutely an escape for me! That’s why I don’t like reading things that are too emotionally heavy. My brain will not stop thinking and going over things, and it really helps me pour all the focus into reading, especially before bed. I don’t come up with scenarios though, I think that part may just be the writer in you 😀