by: John Hutchinson

Reading has not yet gone out of style. In fact, millions of people around the globe count reading as their number one way to relax, learn new things, and share ideas with others in discussion forums or book clubs. Most of us have a few books lying around the house, whether they be children’s picture stories or a well-worn dictionary. But where do you go to find a good read when you want something new or different? Sure, you can visit the library if you can remember that two-week return date. If you want to purchase the latest bestseller or audio book, though, check out some of the premier bookstore sites that you can find online.

At Chapters Book Search and  (www.amazon.ca), you can quickly find a certain book you’ve heard about and want to read. The site will help you locate new and used books, audio books, and a variety of topics in print. You can even find out on which country’s currency the book is priced. With more than 40 sites offering your choice among millions of publications, you can spend hours searching for a particular title or author, or just a few minutes placing your order.

Another helpful book search site is Discount Search (www.bookcloseouts.com) where you simply click on the “Books” link that is located on the home page. From Harlequin to academic textbooks, you can link to top booksellers with huge selections and competitive pricing. With a few finger clicks you can quickly locate the books you want or browse new titles that catch your interest. You also can find useful supplies like bookmarks, stationery, and theme mugs to augment your personal reading time at home or while taking a break at the office. Your book order can be quickly shipped to save time and money when you avoid fighting traffic, fueling the car, and waiting in checkout lines.

If you don’t like to read, now is the time to take up this meaningful hobby. Research shows that people who stretch their minds with ideas and language often manage to keep Alzheimer’s Disease at bay longer than those who idle their time away. Books help to make you an interesting person when you talk with others. They expose readers to a plethora of perspectives and issues. A book can become your best friend for life, one you will want to return to now and then to get reacquainted once more. Studies show that young children from birth and up can benefit from being read to by, and later, from learning how to enjoy reading on their own. Their language, problem solving, and comprehension scores tend to be higher than those of non-readers, and their overall grades are better, too.

So why not shop for one of the exciting new titles that is available online when you visit sites like those mentioned above? Your entire view of life will be impacted—count on it!