I always carry a large bag - it must fit a book, my camera, and a notebook or journal...it's important for writers to be able to jot down observations, after all.
A self-described Francophile (even more so after visiting France and feeling so at home there), I also love anything to do with Paris, Provence, and other wonderful towns in France. Well, pretty much anything French...the language, the fragrance of French Lavender, the food - the list goes on.
One of my favorite blogs is French Essence, for obvious reasons, but I particularly liked the writer's post near the end of March entitled The Joy of Reading. She talks about her love of reading like a true book lover:
"I have a feeling that you know how much I am smitten with books and reading. It got me thinking about why some are always close to the written word and why others aren't so inclined. I can't leave home without a book or my Kindle in the handbag, I can't catch a flight or board a train unless I am fully stocked with books... I carry enough print for all emergencies... delays, breakdowns, insomnia... I cannot be without my 'literary friends', ever. Perhaps some might consider this an eccentricity, I regard my attachment as essential... and I don't feel 'dressed' unless I have reading matter by my side. I have learned that life involves much waiting... waiting for appointments... waiting for children... waiting for friends... waiting at airports and train stations... just waiting. Reading helps pass the time and in a productive way... Reading can settle the nerves, lift the mood and most importantly teach. Reading can be a best friend and reading means you are never lonely..."
"Our home in France is overflowing with books... coffee table tomes, fiction, non-fiction, dictionaries and encyclopedias... We might be seduced by our iPads and Kindles for on-the-move-convenience (and I would not want to live without either of these... they are an incredible luxury) but this has not and will not stop us collecting the hard copies... Books are about far more than content alone..."I have to say I agree wholeheartedly. What else can I possibly add to that except livres sont merveilleux!
