Books. Such inconspicuous little objects. Tight bundles of paper with some squiggles inside, yet they contain a charge of energy greater than that of a bomb. They can change your perception of the world, they can change your life. I have had several moments like this, and you've been collectively hounding me to blog about them. This will be the post about what I read, how I read, how reading influences me, how I choose books to read, and several examples of how specific books have taught me specific things about writing. Because that is what reading is, the study of writing. You peel apart the craft by seeing how others did it, and then you apply it in your own writing and try out new things to see if they would stick.