Hi everyone!
I’m Giulia, one of the new interns at Beaufort Books. I’m from Italy, therefore it is even more exciting to me to be here in New York City, interning at a publishing house, and to have the chance to share with you some thoughts and ideas about everything that could be related to the world of books.
I was asked to write a post about books and, since I couldn’t make up my mind about which one to choose, I opted for writing a blog about my personal relationship with reading.
Reading has always been one of my biggest passions. Even when I was a child, walking in a bookstore or in a library meant having the extraordinary chance to choose the destination of my next imaginary trip. In time, this has helped me create my own world, made of dreams, little things and big emotions. People have often defined me as an “unusual girl” for this reason, since I often isolate myself from the real world just to read a book, watch a movie, play the guitar, or write a new song. But in fact I’m no misanthrope, nor cold fish, nor introvert. It’s just that sometimes I feel like I was born in the wrong century or in the wrong side of the universe.
The world we live in is a world where what counts is not the feeling behind a picture we’ve taken, but the number of “likes” that that picture gets on Instagram. We live in a world where meeting new people doesn’t mean having the opportunity to start to build new friendships, but having more friends to add on Facebook. We live in a world where, while out with friends, people spend most of that time updating their Snapchat stories.
So, you want to know why I prefer to read instead of going to parties on Friday nights? The answer is actually very simple. I read because reading is my way to immerse myself in a brand new world, where people are still capable of deep feelings and dreams are still the fuel that spins the world. I read because books like The Last Song (Nicholas Sparks) help me see clearly which are the things that really count in life. I read because a book like Romeo & Juliet (William Shakespeare) makes me wanna believe that true love—that kind of love in which a person would do whatever it takes to be with the one they love—still exists. I read because books like The Fault in Our Stars (John Green) make me wanna become my best self, and push me to live every single day at my best without taking it for granted. I read because books like The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho) encourage me to keep on following my dreams and give me the chills when I’m afraid of failing.
I read because books like The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery) are still capable of teaching me how to appreciate the simplicity of ordinary things, and remind me to always look beyond the appearance, well aware that “you can only see things clearly with your heart.” I read because books like Fangirl (Rainbow Rowell) make me feel less alone.
I read because, in this world of pretenses, books are one of those things that can still make me feel something real.
Giulia