Footnotes from the Library

Marilyn Klooster

Are you a fan of making lists? I am! Besides the “honey do,” I shopping, wish and “bucket lists,” have made a “book” list. I was prompted to make this list after retirement and, most recently, as a SunBird library volunteer.

Browsing the many volumes on our library shelves, I would make a selection to borrow. The book/author synopsis printed inside the book jacket would alert me, “I have read this book before.” Books without their jacket information were clued in as having been read before when I re-read the prose in Chapter One. Therefore, I have two book lists; the first for books I have read, and the second for books I would like to borrow and have yet to read.

From a recent article in the “Your Health” feature in the Saturday Evening Post, I was attracted to the heading “Long Live the Bookworm!” Highlights from this article include “One benefit of reading books is a longer life. Why books? Regular readers develop their critical thinking skills. At the same time, social perception, emotional intelligence and empathetic skills are also developed.”

“Reading books keeps your brain sharp and may help you live longer!” Make a list, come exercise your mind and find a world of discovery in your SunBird library.