Kicking off the month of thankfulness, I express my gratitude for books. Where would I be if I had not found books? I've spent many hours pondering the reason I was able to escape the fate of so many in my family: stuck in a small town, addicted to drugs, living with an abusive spouse, dependent on welfare, in many cases with a felony record due to desperate acts. I hid from my chaotic upbringing in the pages of books. Instead of drugs and alcohol, I became addicted to learning. Books were my friends instead of the wrong crowd. Stories introduced me to a world beyond the ten mile radius our lack of reliable car limited us to. We didn't have computers, much less internet, back then. Even if we did, we couldn't have afforded it. Books introduced me to heroes who fought their way out of traumatic circumstances to thrive. They taught me that no matter how downtrodden you are, you can break free and construct the life you want. That monsters could be slayed. They ...