A reader’s dream

West End

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/04/2025 (298 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Marjorie Poor spent her early years on farmland in rural Manitoba before moving to Winnipeg. For as long as she can remember she loved books and is widely known, in several circles, for her passion for the page.

Poor is an editor of various publications and fiction, a published poet, and the author of the innovatively designed chapbook Voices [That] Haunt Us, which explored themes of loss, grieving, and solace, and was launched last fall.

The West End resident is also the proud owner of approximately 10,000 books. She doesn’t just collect books, she reads them and cherishes them.

“Even at a young age, I was my own person and did not give in to peer/societal pressure because I knew the world was bigger than my immediate surroundings and could accommodate all sorts of people and perspectives,” the bibliophile said.

“I became an especially avid reader in junior and senior high school when I would read all day, even during classes. I continue to read at all times of the day and during all spare moments –I would never go anywhere without a few books with me to read in case I was stuck somewhere.”

Poor’s tastes range from literary fiction to mysteries, non-fiction graphic novels, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and kids’ books (including picture books), but her true love is poetry.

“Poetry in particular is a great comfort during difficult times, and a great inspiration,” she said. “The excitement of reading any book is the way I can enter a whole other world, or enter the mind and soul of characters or authors and see our world through their eyes and perspectives. I can see that there are other ways of looking at things and grow from that, and I can also see that I’m not alone in my way of thinking and seeing things.”

As a child, Poor often reread her books when she ran out of reading material.

“I had my own small collection of about 300 books and then whatever books were available in the school library, but it was never enough,” she explained, adding that this feeling likely led to her current collection, which ensures she’ll never run out of reading material.

The benefits of reading are plenty and include strengthening the brain, reducing stress, and building vocabulary. Books are magical treasure troves overflowing with endless learning possibilities. Few know this better than Poor.

“Just having them around makes me instantly feel at home and happy. I like knowing that I’ll always have something wonderful to read to match whatever mood or situation I’m in. I love that when an author or book comes up in conversation with friends, I can just look on my shelf and find the book and read or reread it, without having to wait to find it somewhere to buy.”

It took the help of 45 friends, over a two-month period, to transport her library to her present home. She loves having friends over to visit and see her ever-growing collection but she doesn’t lend them, preferring to give people their own copies and not have to worry about whether she’ll ever get it back.

She doesn’t read a lot online and will always choose print if possible.

“I love reading physical books because I like to know in a visual and tactile way where I’m aiming for— the end of a chapter or section. And I love the feel of a book, and I like to move my books around and stack them and shelve them— “play” with them, in a way. And so many books are just so beautiful – absolute works of art – as physical objects.”

Poor can often be found at any one of the city’s bookstores, supporting local authors, attending book launches, and buying newly published works.

“It gives me a profound sense of community— the local writing community is so warm and welcoming, always.”

Books will forever enrich this voracious reader’s life, and broaden her perspective.

“Reading helps me to understand the world and other people and have more empathy and tolerance. Whenever I feel I don’t understand something, reading is my go-to strategy. Reading is an inspiration— for my own writing practice and for how I want to live my life.”