“We read to know we are not alone.” - C.S. Lewis

     A History Of Reading definitely exceeded my expectations. Where I expected a cut and dry essay on the evolution of reading, I found a surprisingly relatable exploration of the pastime of reading. I found myself nodding and smiling in a agreement with as I read The Last Page. Manguel's description of learning to read as a child was spot on. It managed to put into words something I could never actually explain to others, but understood within myself. Reading has always been something more than a hobby to me. It's been my gateway to the rest of the world, and I don't know what I would do without it. As Manguel said, "Reading, almost as much as breathing, is our essential function."
   
    The rest of the chapters were extremely interesting as well. It's easy to think that the way we do things is how it has always been, and forever will be. Reading about the advent of silent reading was an eye-opener for me. One never thinks that something as simple as reading silently to yourself could be a big deal, but learning that the Church authorities didn't like it for fear of people forming their own opinions shows that nothing is ever as simple as it seems. It makes feel even more lucky that I have the ability to read, as well as the freedom to form my own opinion on whatever I choose to read.

    Overall, the reading was great. It reminded me that no matter how solitary the act of reading may be, I am never truly alone.

Hey There, Hi There, Ho There!

Hello,

My name is Ashley Edwards. I am nineteen years old and a sophomore here at KSU.  I'm majoring in English, but I plan on going to law school to become an entertainment lawyer. If the whole law school thing doesn't pan out, I would love to write for television. I hope to attend graduate/law school at USC.

I have a brother, who is attending KSU to get his Masters in Finance. I also have two sisters, one of whom is a psychologist. My father runs his own business and my mother is a nurse. I am the youngest of all the children. I love my family very much and am very close to them.

My hobbies include reading, writing, listening to music and traveling. I also enjoy knitting and crocheting. Some of my favorite things/people/places are Walt Whitman, e.e. cummings, my cat David, and Canada.
I enjoy foreign movies and crime shows, as well as reality television. Jeopardy holds a special place in my heart. I'm a history junkie, and will never turn down a good book or documentary. I spend most of my time listening to music, mostly because I can't stand too much silence. I listen to pretty much everything except hip-hop and country. My favorite food is Indian, especially when my mom makes it. I love England, and hope to live there one day, at least for a little while.

I've never had a blog before, but writing this entry was pretty fun, so maybe I'll keep it up when the term is done. I hope my group-mates enjoy reading my thoughts and opinions on the readings this semester!