It made me laugh. It made me cry. I couldn't put it down. I can read it over and over. It gives me something to aspire to. It's scary, descriptive, elegant, humorous, amazing, imaginative, thought-provoking, compelling, heart-warming.
These are just some of the comments people made about their favourite books in the New Westminster Public Library's adult summer reading program, A Taste for Reading.
There are as many reasons for loving a book as there are books selected as being a favourite.
New Westminster loves to read, and we read everything from bestsellers to not-so-well-known titles.
Fiction includes the classics and contemporary titles, and everything in between.
Non-fiction titles range from knitting to geography to diet books to war journals to magic squares to inspirational reads and on and on and on. And biographies, science fiction and fantasies are not left behind.
Response to the contest, both online and in the library, was tremendous, and we would like to thank everyone who took part.
Check the display wall in the library and our blog for comments people made about their favourite books and why they love them.
Our blog is on our homepage at www.nwpl.ca.
The Taste for Reading contest is now over. The draw for prizes was held on Sept.1, 2011.
Fourteen prizes were awarded to the lucky winners whose names were pulled from the entries.
New Westminster businesses generously donated prizes.
The library thanks Around the World, Boathouse Restaurant, Cockney Kings Fish & Chips, Couzies, Great Wall Tea Co., Kin's Farm Market, Moody Beads, Old Spaghetti Factory, The Pantry, Sushi Paradise, and West Coast College of Massage Therapy.
The library also donated a Kobo eReader.
And in closing, what is New Westminster's favourite read?
There is no single favourite book. Rather the diversity of New Westminster is reflected in the wide range of reading choices and the unique and individual responses about favourite books. We live in an interesting and distinctive community.
This column is provided by the New Westminster Public Library, at 716 Sixth Ave. Check it out online at www.nwpl.ca.
