Reading is Fun (11 Years Later)

Was it really middle school that started making reading such a burden? Reading textbooks to do your homework, summer reading for book reports, and analyzing literary elements seems to caused a downward spiral for reading just for the sake of enjoying a story. Between 2003 to about 2013, I've probably only read about 10 books for enjoyment. I'm a little disappointed by that. I mean, at the end of the day, when you're done with your homework and projects and such, the last thing a person wants to do is to read something. It's either television or sleep. Perfectly acceptable excuses under the given circumstances.

Since graduating 5 months ago, I've read almost a many books in those 5 months than I have in the 10 years or so of school. Off the top of my head, from May 2014 to November 2014, I've read:

Halo: Cryptum by Greg Bear
Halo: Primordium by Greg Bear
Halo: Silentium by Greg Bear
Halo: Glasslands by Karen Traviss
Halo: The Thursday War by Karen Traviss
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

So that's 6 books done and I'm currently reading A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin, book one of A Song of Ice and Fire. Counting a list I have to read, it reaches to about 9 more books after this one. It's like a video game. You continue to play the ones that have extremely engaging stories and are enjoyable experiences. I read the books that keep me coming back for more, to answer the questions I have in their next installment. Words are fun.