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It occurred to me the other day that I really love to learn things while I’m reading. No, I don’t want a history lesson when I’m reading a historical romance, and I don’t want to feel like I’m reading a police procedure manual when I’vegot a suspense book in my hands. But I love picking up the bits of information that skillful authors filter in throughout their books. I think this is why I can read just about any kind of book I pick up, and of course I can read romance endlessly. But it’s not only because of the fun of experiencing the hero and heroine navigating the joys and perils of new love and moving on to their HEA. It’s all the details that make each book different and compelling.
Take almost any contemporary novel. The main characters are usually engaged in some kind of work or profession, right? An author who’s done her research can give some insight into what those professions entail. I’ve read scenes that make me feel as though I’m actually sitting at a police detective’s desk in a tiny cubicle, or flying over the mountains in a small plane. Or driving a tractor through a field. I read a novel recently that was about the characters who worked and lived near a hospital in Ethiopia, and I almost felt as though I could find my way around the little town where the book was set.
Sometimes it’s the author’s insight into personalities that hooks me. Maybe it’s not specific details about whatanarchitect or an FBI agent does, or how to create the perfect bakery pastry – but an understanding of what makes those characters tick. It’s relatable to real life. An author can make the sorrows and joys of the fictional characters resonate. It makes me stop and think about people I know… or situations I might not have understood before.
I love it when I read something that makes me want to delve deeper into the subject matter. Whether it’s historical detail or something about astronomy. Or cooking. Or race car driving.
I’m guessing most of you are book lovers – is there anything besides the romance that compels you to sit down with a book?
Jan 12th
2012
3:17 am
Katherine Garbera Said:
Its the same for me when I sit down and read it a book. I love the intricacies of the relationship, but I also love to learn more about the setting and the occupations of the characters. To be honest I also like historicals for that reason–I feel like I’m someone else living an exciting life that is vastly different from mine.
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Jan 12th
2012
7:55 am
Sandi in OH Said:
I will read anything including cereal boxes. I have toured Kelloggs. I started out reading biographies. When I started going to the library in elementary school I read all the biographies they had. Hence my love to visit historical places. My goal is to visit Presidential homes and museums. I’ve been to about ten so far. I’ve been to historic places: the Spanish fort in St. Augustine. With romances in any time frame I like to learn about how the people lived, how they interact, how they think.
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Jan 12th
2012
8:42 am
Emily mckay Said:
I recently read My Name Is Memory, a rein ration book that takes place over a thousand plus years. The hero remembers from one life to the next, so there scenes in his pov going back to 500 ad. I found all the history in the book really interesting. It wasn’t big, seeping history. It was small, every day history. I found myself going on line to look up all the different settings. It was very interesting.
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Jan 12th
2012
9:02 am
CateS Said:
Coming from a family of readers.. I started with Dad’s Science Fiction, Popular Mechanics’ magazines, LHJ from Mom, along with all the fiction/non-fiction in the house. I love learning the tidbits of lives so different from mine, which is why i still read a wide range of genres.. I’ll be looking for Emily Mckay’s read, My name Is Memory… that sounds so interesting..
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Jan 12th
2012
10:16 am
Margo Maguire Said:
The cool thing about romances is that every author I know takes incredible care to do the necessary research, whether it’s the history, the clothing or uniforms, the professions, the weapons … whatever. You really are learning some authentic stuff!
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Jan 12th
2012
11:44 am
Kathleen Said:
Books take me to places I have never visited and may never visit. But I love the reading the books and feel as though I am sitting on a tropical beach with a handsome stranger. Or maybe a Chateau in France drinking wine with a daring Frenchman.. .But I like learning the culture and history of these places at the same time..
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Jan 12th
2012
12:31 pm
Shana Said:
I really like finding out about history, so a lot of times I’ll read a book because I want to know more about that period of history or something particular to that era.
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Jan 12th
2012
1:28 pm
catslady Said:
Exactly what you said. I read a variety of books and you can always find something or a lot of somethings to learn and in such an enjoyable way.
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Jan 12th
2012
2:56 pm
Kristan Higgins Said:
You said that so well, Margo! I love feeling that I’m “in” the book…
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Jan 12th
2012
11:36 pm
LilMissMolly Said:
I read to escape, so I enjoy being entertained. Besides romance, I also read thrillers with elements of the historical. For example James Rollins and Steve Berry.
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Jan 13th
2012
8:32 am
Anne Gracie Said:
It’s one of the things I always enjoy in a Dick Francis novel — you learn cool stuff about the hero’s job, or the setting. He started in racing, and I learned a fair bit about that, but he moved on to other occupations and it’s always interesting. As well as an entertaining adventure, I come away from one of his books with a few interesting insights into his world.
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Jan 13th
2012
5:39 pm
Catherine Kean Said:
I feel the same way as you about reading, Margo. I adore falling in love with the characters, but I also like to learn all the little details that not only make the people who they are, but bring the historical era or contemporary setting to life. Those details pull my imagination in and make the story real to me.
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