Straight forward, witty and timeless. #TellItLikeItIs, a blog for our generation 
Remember when reading used to be fun? The joy, excitement, the emotional roller coasters and cliffhangers! Come on, I know that there must be some old school ‘Nancy Drew’ and ‘Hardy boys’ fans reading this blog. The question of the day now is, ‘What happened? Does anyone pick up tangible books to read anymore?‘.
Though many people are grateful for the technological advancements which make several things in life easier, there are still others who enjoy the traditional way of doing things, and reading a book is one of them.
Back in the day, us book worms considered going to the Library at least once a week, a pure treat. The experience of entering a building with shelves from wall to wall, filled with all sorts of books, you could only wait to get your fingers on and digest was fascinating.
Yes, things have changed over the years, but there’s nothing wrong with picking up a good book to read today. Yes there are audio books, videos and e-books on a kindle, but we’re here to remind you of the magic of ‘page turning’.
Here are a few reasons why you should consider getting back into a more traditional approach.
First of all, reading a book increases your vocabulary. I know we’re all adults now but think about it. A lot of time is spent messaging friends and family who use abbreviated forms of the same words over and over again. Imagine how refreshing it would be to read a book which not only uses words in entirety, but also gives you new words to help boost your lexicon. Also imagine how accomplished you would feel throwing in these new words during regular conversation with your family, friends, or colleagues.
Another benefit to reading a book is it expands your horizons. Not only will you boost your word stock but you get to be informed on things you had no idea about, whether it’s a fictional book or not. You can learn about a foreign country, its people and cultures. You can learn about science or business or agriculture, or any new idea that crosses your mind. The sky’s the limit and a book is the ladder to get you there.
Additionally, books help you to take a pause. We live in this fast paced, ‘cray cray’ world where we’re sometimes so busy we don’t even take the time out for ourselves! Picking up a book and putting down the device can help resolve this problem. Shut out the outside world for an hour or two while you indulge in a book. Spending time reading a hard copy can do wonders for helping you to relax, forget the day to day stress of life, get in sync with yourself and much more.
Finally, this last point is for our mom and dad readers. Children imitate what they see. If you want your child to be an avid reader, then you should lead the way by picking up a book. We know there are many benefits for children who love to read. So help them along this path by showing them how and encouraging them to do the same.
I sincerely hope these simple reasons will jog your memory and will help you rediscover or uncover for the first time a love for reading in the traditional sense. Settle into a cozy spot, disconnect from the world and start reading a book right now!
And if you can’t bring yourself to do that just yet, then keep reading our blog. It’s sure to stir up the appetite.
Written by: Andrea Louis & Dilma Bastien
For: Generation Y Dominica
Generation Y Dominica 