December is upon us and Fall Into Reading is almost over! Can you believe it? We still have a couple weeks to wrap up our fall reading, but the bustle of the holiday season is all around us, and I know it can make reading feel like a distant luxury.

Thanks for sharing all the ways you encourage others to read in your comments last week. Keep it up!

Time for this week’s question:

Share a special memory relating to books or reading — something you’ll never forget.

I have so many book- and reading-related memories! I could tell you about working in my elementary school library — organizing, stocking, and filling the card catalog with our librarian, Mrs. Kaye. I could tell you about summer afternoons when I walked from my parents’ ice cream store to the library many blocks away (or at least it felt like “many” to 11-year-old me), curled up in a corner of the kids’ section and read for hours. I could tell you about the time I got Mono in college and my dear roommate, Shelah, read to me in the afternoons and evenings to entertain me, comfort me, and keep my mind off my illness.

But instead, I’ll tell you about the last few days I spent with my father. My dad passed away in 1995 after a long battle with cancer. I was already married and living six hours away when his health took a drastic turn for the worse. He was under hospice care at home while my mom ran the ice cream store, and she called me one night to tell me that he had slipped into a coma. It wouldn’t be long… I packed my bags and drove to my childhood home to help her out and to spend some time with Dad.

I worked at the store in the evenings, and spent days at home, in a quiet house, my dad breathing quietly as he lay in a hospital bed in our home’s sunny downstairs. I talked to my dad, even though he didn’t respond, and then I had an idea — I would read to him. I was currently in the middle of a re-read of C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, so I pulled a chair up close to my dad’s bed, and spent some time every day sharing my reading with him.

I don’t know if my dad ever heard me reading to him. And I was home less than a week when he passed away. But that time was special to me. We were together. And I was sharing something I loved with someone I loved very deeply.

And that is a reading memory I will never forget.

What about you? Do you have a special reading memory — from your childhood, teen years, or adulthood — that you’re willing to share?

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. And that maybe, amidst all the turkey and pumpkin pie and people and busyness…you managed to sneak in a little reading. I know it can be hard to do during the holidays, but sometimes, it’s just plain necessary. A good book is the perfect way to unwind, regroup, recover, and relax.

Ready for this week’s reading question?

In what ways do you encourage others to read or support their reading habits? How do you share your love of reading with others?

I’m just going to break down my answer according to the different people in my life:

My kids: I make sure our house is well-stocked with books. There are always books around, available to read. And although as the kids get older, I put more responsibility on them to purchase the things they want, both of them know that mom has a hard time saying “no” to picking up a new book or two for them. I’m also usually up for a library run — basically, there is no lack of reading material for my kids. I also read aloud to L.(5) every day. And C.(13) and I are reading aloud together in the evenings these days, too. Reading together is something they never outgrow.

My husband: I am his official book-supplier. Chad loves to read, but he usually doesn’t have the patience or time to research new books, or to see whether his favorite authors have released something new. So I make sure his bookshelf always has some options for what to read next. I don’t always hit a homerun…but he’s usually pretty happy with the books I pick for him.

Other family members, and friends: I love to trade books, lend books, borrow books…basically, keep books moving. My mom and I share most of the books we read, I frequently lend books to others, and I’ve been known to send a box of books to a far-away friend.

The world at large : I hope that reviewing books and talking about books here on my blog helps to encourage others to read, and I think my twice-yearly reading challenges have done the same. I also like to occasionally donate books to a local shelter. And a few times, I’ve left a good book just sitting out in a public place (think mall or restaurant), hoping it “finds” just the right person.

Your turn — what do you do to share reading and books with those around you and/or far away?

It was so much fun to read about all your favorite reading spots. Whether it’s a favorite room, a favorite chair, or even in the bathtub(!) — it’s wonderful to have that special place that makes reading even more enjoyable!

Now for this week’s question.

What else do you do while you are reading? Eat? Drink? Household tasks? Or do you usually put aside absolutely everything to focus solely on the book at hand?

There are times when I’m reading and doing absolutely nothing else; it’s just me and my book. But if I’m honest, I have to say that I usually have something else going on at the same time. For starters, I’m frequently sipping coffee or water or some other beverage while holding a book. I occasionally have a bit of chocolate at hand (the smudges in many of my books attest to that fact!).

If a book is really good, I’ve been known to prop it open on the kitchen counter so I can read in little snatches of time while I’m making dinner. So stirring some sauce or grating parmesan while reading? I’ve done it.

I’ve been known to knit or crochet while reading, but only if the pattern doesn’t involve much counting.

Sadly, if I’m reading on some kind of electronic device, I’m often tempted to check my email periodically. Right in the middle of reading. I usually try to resist that urge, and I don’t like that I even have it, but that brings us back to my distractibility and the fact that I have email “issues” (i.e., I check it compulsively).

[I should probably also mention audiobooks here. One of the reasons I love audiobooks is because they allow me to "read" while I'm doing all those things that make traditional reading difficult or impossible -- cleaning bathroom floors, driving, enduring dental work, vacuuming, wrapping Christmas gifts, etc.]

I’m sure most of you sometimes read and do other things at the same time, but what would you say is most often the case? Do you usually devote yourself entirely to your reading, or is there often something else going on, too?

I really enjoyed reading the answers to last week’s question, and seeing which books have made a significant impact on you. The power of words, and the power of story, is truly incredible.

Ready for another question? Here we go…

Where do you love to read? Do you have a favorite chair, a favorite room, a favorite place…somewhere that inspires you to put everything else aside and pick up a book?

While it’s true that I’ll read just about anywhere and everywhere, there are a few places that bring me particular reading joy.

• Our swivel chairs by the window. We have two super-comfy swivel chairs that sit right in front of a huge window in our living room. I love those chairs. And I love to read in those chairs. I think it’s primarily a combination of their major comfortableness and the fact that they sit in the sunshine. There’s not much better than having a cup of coffee on the nearby end table, and being all curled up in one of those chairs with a good book.
• Bed. It doesn’t matter if it’s my bed, a guest bed at someone else’s house, or a hotel bed in Toronto. Reading before I fall asleep is something I’ve been doing as long as I can remember. My husband is the same way, and I love that our boys are following in our reading-before-sleeping footsteps. A good night’s rest is much more attainable if it’s preceded by a reading session.
• Outside. To be honest, I’m a little picky when it comes to being outside. I don’t like it to be too hot…or too cold. But when the weather is just right, I do like to take a book outside and read while the kids play. At our old house, we had a patio where I hung out, and at this house, we have a huge deck. Of course, we don’t have a bit of deck furniture yet, but when spring arrives, finding a great reading chair for the new deck will be one of my priorities!

Well, it seems that we are right around the halfway point of Fall Into Reading 2011. I can’t believe how quickly this challenge is speeding by! In honor of the fact that we’re halfway done, I have a little bonus question this week, for those of you who are participating in the challenge.

But first, our regular weekly reading question…

Is there a book that has had a tremendous impact on your life? One that made you look at life in a whole new way, or caused you to completely change something in your life?

As a Christian, I have to say that the Bible is the first book that comes to mind for me. It’s through the Bible that I see God’s love for me displayed and learn of His desire to save His children and redeem His creation. It’s in the Bible that I read of Jesus’ sacrifice, made so that our sins can be forgiven. Nothing is more profound or has had a greater impact on my life. And because it is God’s Word, the Bible continues to impact me, influence me, and transform me on a continual basis. By far, it is the most important book I have.

There are other books that have deeply impacted me as well. One of those is The Hiding Place, the true story of Corrie ten Boom and her family, and their experiences during World War II. The sacrifices they made and the faith they had left me humbled and challenged. Rarely does a week go by when I am not reminded in some way of something I read or learned in The Hiding Place.

What about you? What book has changed your life in some way?

Now for our bonus question…

How is your Fall Into Reading coming along? Are you on track? Ahead of schedule? Falling behind?

Confession: I’m not doing so well. Our move to a new house has utterly and completely derailed my good reading intentions. Oh, I’ve gotten some reading done, but not nearly enough. I’m overwhelmed with stacks of boxes, trying to figure out how to organize things here, and changing our address with 5,274 or so different companies, institutions, and magazine publishers.

So, I think I’ve finished four books, but my pace has gotten slower and slower. And with the holidays right around the corner, I’m not sure I’ll be able to catch up.

Let me know how you’re doing. Hope you’ve been able to read more than I have!