Have you ever considered how people from so many different walks of life can come to a center point of thought after reading the same book? Think about it. Okay, okay, I realize that not every book I love is someone else’s cup of tea. But there are books, really great books, that appeal to the multitudes. Those people can be worlds apart in their political views, their moral views, or their religious persuasions, and yet through a book, by crawling into the hearts of well-drawn characters, most can, for the duration of that book, be in agreement and of like mind with thousands of other people. They feel the love for someone that the character feels. They can feel his pain. They associate with his panic. They understand his passion, whether it is for a woman, achieving a goal, or creating a priceless work of art. They can burn to help the poor or to correct a deplorable injustice.
Isn’t that beautiful? I think it is. And I also think it gives each of us a very good reason to read, because through the passages and scenes, while we see the world through another person’s eyes, perhaps we can become better people with more compassion and understanding for others.
Reflections from the Ridge 