Books Love You

Reading the right book at the right time can change somebody's life.

The internet plays host to a wonderful, mad tangle of conversations about books. People talk endlessly about what books are popular, what books should be more popular, paper books vs. ebooks, and on and on. But something tends to get lost in the mix: why are books so important in the first place? How do they make a difference in our lives? Exactly what is the magic of words on a page that can alter our perspective, give us the courage to try something new, or just get us through a rough patch?

To explore how books make our lives better--and make us better at life--I’ve started a new website, Books Love You, where people can share stories about books that changed them. The site is tiny right now, but I do have a few stories up (including one by Guy Lit Wire's own Colleen Mondor.) Hopefully, as the collection of stories grows, people will be able to search for books by title, genre, even the different ways they've helped people such as heartbreak or illness.

But of course, a site like this thrives on reader participation. If you guys could help spread the word, I'd be incredibly grateful. And if a book (or poem or short story or graphic novel) has ever made a difference in your life, I'd love to hear about it.

“A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting.” ~ Henry David Thoreau