They Say First Step to Healing is...Admitting You Have an Addiction

You will be my witness to a moment of history. I am going to admit to you that I have some kind of addiction because they say the first step in the healing process is to admit your addiction. Ok, here goes. I have an addiction. An addiction of loving books. I love books. I surround myself with books. I made special trips to bookstores like Borders and Barnes and Noble. I have to carry a book with me at all times. I mean I even started a blog called Global Arts, due being inspired by books.

In fact, I order books through Scholastic, a book order for school kids for my son. At least, I think it is for my son. I mean I do read to him on a daily basis. I have ordered on a monthly basis since he has been in school. Hmmm...

I love reading literature and the classics, including by international authors. I try to keep an open mind when I read. I want to be a cultured, sophisticated person (some say I already am--you are too nice). When I read, I am in another world. I totally imagine myself going through the same experiences as the characters.

Here are some of my all time favorites that I have read within the last few years, so far:

• The Muqaddimah by Ibn Khaldun


• The Republic by Plato


• Les Miserables by Victor Hugo


• Jaffa, Land of Oranges by Ghassan Kanafani


• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens


• All That's Left to You by Ghassan Kanafani

These are the ones that have come to my mind now. As you can tell, these are by different authors from different time periods.

I mean don't get me wrong. I read magazines and newspapers. I read news and articles on the Internet. I read.

Reading for pleasure began when I was in third grade, I won't tell you how many years ago, my teacher worked with my parents to strengthen my reading skills. It must have worked because thousands of books later, I still continue to read.

Ever since I became a writer, I have been reading for business and pleasure. I always examine if my readings can be used for both purposes, even though I probably shouldn't. In my opinion being a writer, is a lifestyle. You can't really structure the creative and idea flow.

A writer is a writer 24 hours per day, seven days per week.