Naturally, as an author, you would expect me to believe in the value of reading but my love of books and reading surpasses even their value. Books have been a lifeline, they have added comfort, escapism, awareness and even love.  I would go as far to say that books and reading are as important to me as breathing. Books really can change lives and the excerpt below is an inspirational example…

An excerpt from:
‘Why Books Still Matter’ by Michael Hyatt www.michaelhyatt.com

A few months ago, I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Ben Carson, world-renowned Professor of Neurosurgery, Oncology, Plastic Surgery, and Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins
University. Not bad for a child that was raised in extreme poverty by a single mother. Statistically speaking, he didn’t have a chance.

As a grade school student, he experienced difficulty academically, eventually falling to the bottom of his class. His mother, who was working two to three jobs, became alarmed. She did not want her two sons to drop out of school, believing that education was the only way they would escape a life of poverty. She began to notice that the wealthy families she worked for watched little television. Instead, they spent their time reading books. As a result, she sold her television and insisted her sons read two library books a week, writing a book report on each one. She would then review the reports, make marks on them, and assign two more books. Several years later, to his surprise, Dr. Carson discovered that his mother couldn’t even read.

In the interview, Dr. Carson said to me, “Everything changed when I began to read. I started to see myself as a smart person who could learn anything. The whole world opened up to me.”

This is the power of reading books. Contrary to what is often reported in the mainstream media, books are not dead. They are still valuable today. But we must contend for their existence against all other forms of media. Books do for people what movies, television, magazines, newspapers, blogs, and social media will never do—fundamentally alter their worldview and inspire them to greatness. I rarely meet a person who says, “that movie changed my life.” But there is just something about a book that changes everything. I have met thousands of people through the years who have reported, “That book changed my life.” I can certainly point to the books that have shaped my own life. In fact, we can point to specific books throughout history that have changed entire civilizations.

To read more by Michael Hyatt go to www.michaelhyatt.com

Questions:
How have books transformed your life?
What books in particular have made a difference?
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