When I was younger, reading was my escape away from the noise of a large family living in a small house. I mostly read fantasy and historical fiction because I was fascinated with imagining worlds authors created, and stories based off things that actually happened in a time long ago. As I grew up, I branched out to include mysteries, thrillers and science fiction. I also started to appreciate the things I could learn on my own through a variety of nonfiction titles. I am on pins and needles waiting for summer so I can start on an enormous reading list that's been in the making for 2 years!
As for the future, I think some things will stay the same, though some things may be wildly different. Reading will still be an important aspect of life in 10 to 20 years, but I think the way we read and consume books will be different. We will probably have some technology that surpasses the shortcomings of ebooks that will serve as the main transmission of reading materials, but actual books will still be available and used often. Books would be regulated for leisure reading, while ebooks or their technological successors will be the chosen format for informational reading and for books that contain visual storytelling features. Publishing houses will still exist, but there will be more opportunities for people to self-publish and distribute their work. It is interesting to imagine how things might be in the future, but I have a feeling much of the fundamentals of reading and books will stay the same.
