Salvation in ReadingMy love for books began when my mother taught me to read at the age of four. Over the years, books have allowed me to take magical journeys to faraway places, taught me invaluable life lessons, and offered me an escape from reality when I was being abused. My passion for books was also shared with award-winning author, poet and screenwriter Sherman Alexie. In his 1997 essay “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me,” he recounts his experiences reading and writing. Additionally, he describes how his father's love of books led him to love reading and reveals how this love saved him from a future of poverty on the Spokane Indian Reservation where he lived (45-47 ). Therefore, due to our parents' love of reading and their strong influences in our lives, Alexie and I developed a love of books that saved our lives as they gave us the strength and knowledge needed to overcome adversity in our lives. Alexie writes that his father influenced his love of books; as a result, his dreams and desires to rise above the stereotypes of his culture and succeed in the non-Indian world were ignited. He fell in love with the books his father filled their home with, which motivated him to learn as much as he could by reading at every opportunity (45-47). He observes: “I read books late into the night, until I could barely keep my eyes open...I read anything that had words and paragraphs in it” (47). His determination to learn and become a great reader was a driving force in his life, because he knew that the more educated he became, the more likely he would be to have a future outside of the world he was born into. In his essay he tells us that the children on the reservation were supposed to be stupid and become powerful. Alexie found success as a famous writer, poet, and screenwriter despite his culture's expectations. He also became a champion of literacy for Native American youth in the hopes that they would see that there is a world beyond the failure that is their cultural norm (47). Although I never found fame, my love of books was a gift from my mother that opened my eyes to the magic of the world around me and gave me something to believe in during my days the loneliest and most painful of abuse. It is a love that has only grown with age and brings continued joy and pleasure to my life. Books have truly proven to be our salvation. Works CitedAlexie, Sherman. “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me.” The Arlington Drive: Context and Connections. 3rd edition. Ed. Lynn Z Bloom and Louise Z Smith. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2011. 45-47. Print.