As a child, I was an avid and happy reader.  But as I entered high school, I was forced to read not for pleasure, but with a critical eye.  I guess that's part of the growth process - but I quit reading for pleasure because it just wasn't fun anymore.  In college, I studied engineering, and to my excitement, I placed out of all liberal arts classes including literature, history, & government.  Engineering was hardcore, and I totally dedicated myself to reading thick textbooks full of mathematical expressions and theory. 

For years afterward, I wanted to get back in to reading, but I would troll aimlessly through bookstores looking for books that grabbed my attention.  I didn't know what I liked to read anymore!  About a year ago, I was inspired to get back into my old reading hobby after I read an article in my college alumni magazine about the university's top one or two hundred best reads.  As I scrolled down their list, I realized that I had read very few of the titles, both fiction and non-fiction.  So I decided that it was time to catch up on my classics and use their list as a guide.  A few of the classics I've read in the last year (besides even more textbooks and academic journals) include: The Jungle by Uptain Sinclair, The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, Dracula by Bram Stoker, Selected Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Kim by Rudyard Kipling, The Time Machine and now The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells.  In the process of reading these books, I "re"-learned that I enjoy fantasy and science fiction, and I have read some more modern books in those genres, such as: Dune by Frank Herbert, Forever Peace and Camouflage by Joe Haldeman, and Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds.

I enjoy reading again, and I enjoy the fact that I can connect with more people after reading more classics.  As I continue to catch up with my classics and explore modern writings, I will let you know the titles I enjoy.  I encourage you to visit your local bookstore, and pick up a house-brand classic.  Many stores are now selling reduced price classics, which make it a little easier on the pocketbook as well.  Happy reading!