A Personal Reading Survey /Penny McInnis /2 Feb 2013 My family as a whole did not read. I do have one sister out of five of us who enjoyed reading and she is the only one who attended college directly after graduating from high school. I remember thinking she was weird not only because she actually liked to read, but because the books she chose were huge such as (War and Peace). The only place you might find a magazine (Penthouse) in my childhood home was in the reading room (bathroom). We did not take trips to the library; it was 26 miles away. We only went to town for necessities, such as food. I do have fond memories of my Grandfather stirring up some wild tales that kept us all entertained; but, he did not read to us either more like oral histories with good quality time sharing lifes adventures. I remember my mother reading to the five of us children. The book was old and ragged but had great stories. It was Uncle Remus, read with a very thick fake, southern accent and with great emphasis. Although the stories are still favorites of mine today, and they each had an underlying message, the grammar was awful. Little did I know I would someday visit Uncle Remuss cabin in Eatonton, GA and live among people who still talk like Briar Fox and Briar Bear. I do not recall any other books that were read to me as a youngster. My favorite book as a child was Caddy Woodlawn. As a matter of fact, it was the only book I read as a child. I must have been about twelve or even older. Caddy was Laura Ingalls Wilders, from Little House on the Prairie, cousin. I related to the main character because she was a country girl like me, who could not stand to be around city slickers. Caddy is my kind of gal, a go-get-em tomboy who did not take guff from anybody. The only other book I have ever read in full is Dances with Wolves. It happened by chance that I would ever pick up such a book. I found myself stuck in the Sand Dunes of Saudi Arabia in 1991. We had just won the three-day war, Desert Storm; we had nothing to do but eat, sleep, and get a tan. Soldiers would pass around paperbacks; Dances with Wolves came highly recommended. Once I picked it up I couldnt put it down. It took me three weeks to read the 300 pages of action packed adventure. Although I loved that book I did not pick up another for the next five years. I do not enjoy reading. In-fact I strongly dislike the task. It does not matter if it is for pleasure, school or any other reason; it has always been my worst subject. I get stressed out when I try to read - the words seem to leave my line-of-sight. It was not until I was 40 years-old that I found out why I had no interest in reading. After retiring from a twenty-year career in the military, I was tested and it was determined that I have a Language Arts Learning Disability. I did not enjoy reading because I found reading extremely difficult. Up until my diagnosis, I thought I was stupid, because I did not learn like other people. Since then my old black and white world is now in full panoramic color. I read, (listen) audio books, one right after another now. Additionally, I have put together a own point presentation that I have done repeatedly, telling my incredible story of how I got through life not being able to read or write at a respectable level. I do this in hopes on making a difference to the others out there who struggle in a similar manner.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 16:14:19 +0000
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