by Lesley Rigg

Created on: April 18, 2008

I was slow to start reading, perhaps 7 before I could really read alone. However, once I got to grips with it, reading has not only been my hobby, its been my educator, my friend, my defense against boredom, and escaping into the pages of a book has got me through all sorts of emotional traumas throughout my life. It's been invaluable.

My first taste of an addiction that has lasted 30 years, was Enid Blyton. Don't Be Silly Mr Twiddle to be exact. An aunt had given my mum six hard-back Enid Blyton children's novels. Amongst the others that I can remember were The Adventures of the Wishing Chair, The Far-away Tree, The Far-away Tree again and Merry Mr Meddle.

I soon moved onto the Famous Five, Secret Seven and Mallory Towers series, devouring them in my room on a Saturday morning when perhaps I should have been outside. Actually sometimes I did go outside, and read in the garden instead!

As I grew older I developed a taste for crime fiction, and embraced Ngaio Marsh, Agatha Christie, Ruth Rendell and PD James. In fact, there was very little I wouldn't read, and having an active brain I could speed read through a couple of novels a day on a good day's commute into London to work.

Reading, however, has been so much more than just a hobby to me. I didn't particularly like school, and reading allowed me a respite from thinking about it. Actually it didn't do much for my grades at the time, but when I came to return to education for my degree at 24, I knew a lot more than many other people. I had read my way around thousands of novels, Dick Francis, Ian Banks, Ian Rankin and I actively enjoyed reading history books (my degree choice. All of this meant that my hobby allowed me to make up for what formal education I didn't have as I went into higher education as a mature student.

Everyone knows that romantic break-ups are so much less tender in time. When I broke up with someone I would lock myself away for a few weeks, pile of books at my side, and read the grief away. Reading allows you to immerse yourself so totally, that the real world retreats for just a little while, allowing the wounds to start to heal.

Learn more about this author, Lesley Rigg.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.