The Habit of Reading

I was late to catch on the habit of reading. But as the saying goes, ‘Better late than never.’ I have, to some extent, covered up for the lost years, by reading very good books in last couple of years. My intention here is not to share my experiences of reading but to highlight why it is high time for Youth to revive the fading habit of reading.  

It does not take much effort to convince that book reading is no longer a pass-time activity of many. It is grave to learn that today’s children regard book reading as ‘un-cool’. Ever increasing habit of watching TV and playing games in today’s youth and children leave them with no time for reading. Though I am not an advocate of complete abandoning TV and Video Games, and very much appreciate their reach and utility, I believe today’s generation has to make time to read.

I think this problem is partly because people (especially youth and children) have not realized the experience and benefits of reading. At first consider fictions. The best thing about reading fictions is that your imagination is not captivated by any exact characterizations as in case of movies or TV serials. You can simply run wild with your mental imagination and savor the beauty of your imagined world. Who ever watched ‘Twilight’ movie after reading the novel told me that the movie was not up to the mark when compared to the novel. I felt the same when I watched the movie Godfather. Even with modern day technologies including recent 3D movies, the movies cannot have narrations as beautiful as what it can be in well-written novels. Crime plots as complex as my favorite Orhan Pamuk’s ‘My Name is Red’ can’t just be made by movies.  Video games may, to good extent, give more live experience but have their own limitations.

I do not need to much emphasize the importance of reading non-fictions. Any person with sound reasoning power should be able to appreciate it. One of the best ways to learn beyond realms of your own experiences is reading books. That’s how you can learn from other’s experiences and mistakes. One can sharpen one’s reasoning and thinking power by reading books of influential thinkers like Amartya Sen, Thomas Friedman to name only a few. I feel we are lucky to still have treatises like Sun Tzu’s ‘Art Of War’.  Let me stop here because I am sure I cannot make justice to this point.

I think one only needs to just drop into a good book stall, say like Bookworm in Bangalore, pick a random book and complete it. It will not take much time for you to appreciate my point and become ‘addicted’. I think it is my duty here to elaborate on Bookworm because its proprietor Krishna’s recommendations made me read many great books.    

To elaborate, Bookworm is situated in Shringar Complex on M.G.Road; Bangalore has one of the best collections of books in Bangalore. It has great collection of both fictions and non fictions - both used and unused, and you get very good discount unlike most other shops. You will never get disappointed with personal recommendations done to you and will surely cherish their hospitality to customers. I personally regard it to be the best bookstore in Bangalore.

My request for everyone not to buy pirated books. If you are a true fan of reading, you will appreciate my request.

All you need to do now is to visit and buy the book that catches your attention. You will slowly recognize the wonders it does to you.

Happy Reading J