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Book Fair at My Brother's School
I hadn't started kindergarten yet and my brother went to a private school. The school was having an outdoor book fair one day when we went to pick him up, and my parents let me pick out my own book. I chose the book "Why Can't I Fly?", and it became the book that started it all. -
Why Can't I Fly?
Why Can't I Fly? was the first book I can remember reading. I remember reading it over and over and over, and I thought it was amazing that I could entertain myself with a story with just myself and a book. This is what sparked my love for reading. -
Artemis Fowl, an introduction to fantasy
The next book series I remember that shaped me as a reader was Artemis Fowl. Reading about a completely made up world with a made up language really opened up my imagination that books could be about anything at all. I remember my friends and I memorized the Artemis Fowl secret language and would write notes to each other. -
My Brother Introduced Me to Harry Potter
When I was in third grade I remember my brother reading Harry Potter. Since I was already interested in fantasy books from Artemis Fowl, I asked him what the book was about. He let me read his copy and we talked about the book together. Harry Potter was, and still is, something that helped us bond. This event helped me realize that books can connect people. -
Harry Potter Continued!
Not only did Harry Potter connect me with many other individuals who loved the books, it helped grow my passion for the fantasy genre, which had a domino effect on many of my interests and choices in books, hobbies, and life! -
Dragonology: The Birth of My Love For Dragons!
I remember this one quite well. I was at a 5th grade book fair in the school library, and there it was. A rather large book covered in red dragon scales with gems on the front, titled Dragonology. I thought, and still think, that this book was the coolest thing ever. I went through that book for hours and hours learning about all the different types of dragons, where they're from, and their special abilities. -
Eragon: More Dragons
Fueled by my love for dragons from the Dragonology book, when I saw a book with a dragon on the cover titled Eragon, it was an easy choice to read. I didn't know this would become my absolute favorite book series of all. I've spent countless years in Alagaesia, reading and rereading the Eragon series. In fact, in any online game I play, my character names are almost always derived from Eragon. -
A Break From Dragons, Into Space!
Ender's Game, such an amazing book, and an intro to an even more amazing series. The first book is fairly kid friendly and easy enough to understand for any age; however, the rest of the series delves into complex more and philosophical issues. This series was my introduction into my interest of philosophy and morality, and how its not always as straightforward as we might try and make it. -
Questioning Everything, Thank You Ender
And now fueled by my interest in philosophy and an interest in the concept and arguments for and against god brought up in the book Xenocide of the Ender series, my next two major influencing books were The God Delusion and The Guide to a Good Life. These two books along with some self reflection helped guide and form my philosophy on almost everything. -
From Philosophy To Science!
After taking a defacto atheist standpoint, I was faced with many questions about how everything could exist without a god. And from those fair questions arose my research and love of science. The first book in this journey in attempting to explain the natural world with science was A Briefer History of Time by Stephen Hawking.
