When did you first love the written word?
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My question is when did you first realise you loved to read or write and who caused this horrific effect upon you?
For me it was Robert's Armegeddon, when I was sick in Greece at twelve, halfway between sleep and death, halfway between delusion and disantry, the King (and Barry)+ later in the week Laz were all i had to hold on to.
I guess what I'm trying to say is who made writing or reading accesable to you as a young-thing?
I read a lot now, but I'm not a fast reader. I was never very good at reading when I was young & didn't enjoy being made to read in school. The 1st "grown up" books I read by choice were the Red Dwarf novels. Through these I found other SF & comedy books & it just grew from there 
It was the books from my grandfather's library. Verne, Belyaev, Dumas, Wells, etc. I was six or seven years old. The Mysterious Island made a very strong impression on me.
I have to confess my experience is a little (but not much) like Mr Black’s!
I never read a book till I was at least 25 to 30 (who knows) I really have no memory of the date or time.
I just know if was later in life because I had so many other distractions, mainly trying to get some action from the local girls. 
Red Dwarf, Infinity welcomes carful drivers was the first real book I read, followed by the rest of the Red Dwarf that was out at the time.
Then came THE RANKIN. I picked up totally at random, just by the cover, the first in the Cornelius Murphy series of books. 
After which came along a love affair with the written word that to this day has not died out with me.
I’m now a mature 41 and desperately trying to catch on the reading I should have done when I was younger.
If I could give myself one piece of advice going back in time I don’t think it would be the lottery numbers, not advice on where my relationships had got horribly wrong, it would be simply something like “read more, you love it”
You're 41? Well I never.
I reckon I read "Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers" & "Better than Life" in about 1990 (when I was 13/14) & then "The Book of Ultimate Truths" at around age 15ish. Along with some Pratchett & Adams around the same time
With older age come a great love of “your age” music and a certain respect of your parent’s music.
Oh and a total distain of the total shit I hear on the music box now.....(now I sound old!)
Books however are timeless 
I was really young, probably about 10 or 11, something like that. I was always a bit ahead of the other kids at school (until incredible lazyness overtook me ), and I read literally everything in the primary school library.
I remember getting The Hobbit on the Spectrum, and it came with a copy of the book - which I'd read by the time I was 13. Blimey, the LOTR series beat me though... it was like reading a Polish A-Z 
I was lent Armageddon II when I was on holiday; I think I was about 15? I'd never read anything like *that* before, but there was a sort of "click" in my head and I just thought "I really get this"
I started reading at an early age and have never stopped my earliest memories would be the Enid Blyton adventures (Secret Seven etc) and Ransome (Swallows and Amazons) these were still very popular and available, though I am talking about 40+ years ago when I was 8 to 10
From there I progressed to more grown up books in my early teens, some favourites were; the original Ian Fleming Bond books, Denis Wheatley occult horror and the Conan Doyle Sherlock books. And then there the more challenging Dante's inferno, Beowulf (must have re-read this about 10 times) and the original legends of king Arthur; Le morte d'Arthur (Mallory) which also influenced my reading habits into adulthood. Something I intend reaching someday soon
Who caused this? My much missed Parents, always willing, when money was tight or time was short, to find a way to feed my habit with a visit to a book shop or the library
Ian.
I read Dennis Wheatley's - The Haunting of Toby Jugg, recetly.
Thanks everybody for your replies.
It's good to know that people have been inspired by all kinds works and even better to know that I share many of the same tastes.
As a kid I used to read all the Red Dwarf scripts, playing parts against my mates. (I used to do Rimmer and Cat)
Then I always considered that one day I may become the Count of Monte Cristo (and I still do, excepting all that dinner party crap in the middle of the book).
And I loved to read Tolken toasting my toes against the fire on a winters night.
But then Wheatley is great as well (I recommened watching the Kill List by his name sake.) And also reading Alistier Crowleys biography for fun facts (his dad never invested in trains because they wern't mentioned in the bible and Alistier climbed a more dificult climb than Everest dressed only in a tweed jacket). Sherlock Holmes is always good value.
My main reason though for coming onto this site and posting the post was to offer thanks to Robert, for giving me an introduction into reading books and dissapearing into other worlds. But I'd like to continue this discussion as it seems that the written word is dying, along with it the spirit of adventure.
Where as twenty years ago every kid wanted to be a pirate, to cut the throat of any authority that tried to question them, every kid wants to be a pop-star with a manager, who tells them how to act. But I guess I'm preacing to the converted.
I would sign off with a smiley face and consolidate this post into a horrible mess of emoticons, alas I was born in the eighties and far too late for all that fanny so humbly beg your forgiveness.
All the best and a Merry New Year.
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