'readin, writing, and cipherin

I'm reading Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals now, and a section about Lincoln caught my attention:

Though untutored in the sciences and the classics, he was able to read and reread his books until he understood them fully. "Get the books, and read and study them," he told a law student seeking advice in 1855. It did not matter, he continued, whether the reading be done in a small town or a large ciry, by oneself or in the company of others. "The books, and your capacity for understanding them, are just the same in all places... Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed, is more important than any other one thing."

So, bearing that in mind, I am puzzled over how to get offspring the elder to read with grace and appetite. Entering 1st grade, he loves mathmatics of any nature - will attentively listen to discussions of statistics, and can already complete pre-algebra work. Of course I'm proud about that! But the reading thing has me stumped. I can't imaging anyone, much less a child of mine, not eagerly approaching the written word. What can I do to foster a love of reading? Can it be done by example?