Zero To Reader: How Reading Can Change Your Life

 


“Library”, a boring and dull place for few but a slice of heaven for the rest. I, once belonged to the former category until the heavenly abode of books and blogs called out to me and since then it has been an irresistible indulgence.

Formerly, Library’s in school for me, used to be all about taking a nap, chatting with my friends or in the direst situation a place to complete my long-due homework or worse, a detention.

Ah! How I wish I could rewind my life only to go back in time to fix this, if only I could go back to a library as peaceful as my school’s, where for the first time my librarian forced me to pick up a book and give reading a shot. I am forever in debt to her for having opened doors (literally and otherwise) to the ever- magical and enchanting world of books.

I started with books that required basic comprehension skills and a basic grasp over the English language. Of course, you can’t start right away with books featuring the vocabulary of “Shashi Tharoor”, that would not only be ridiculous but also hamper your future inclination towards reading.

I started with the simple and humble yet enthralling books by Sudha Murty, her stories have an authentic Indian touch to them. Her stories depict incidents from her life as well as those resembling lives of other Indians. You can be in any part of the world and still feel close to home when you have a Sudha Murty book with you. Her work is more than just a compilation of pages, it is more like a cool breeze on a warm summer afternoon, a concoction of overwhelming emotions that often leave you lost for words.

Reading and only reading has transformed me into the person I am today. I am not only far better read and aware than I was, I also have a myriad of new words under my belt. I am much more confident when voicing my opinion plus my comprehension skills have enhanced. In short, there are no negatives about reading, its all just adding to your persona and making you a well-informed, aware, smart and confident individual.  

Over the years, I have picked up books of various genres, be it a crime-thriller by Sydney Sheldon, a mysterious read by Agatha Christie, I have dived deep into the pages of history with Sagarika Ghosh, read autobiographies, plunged into Twinkle Khanna’s witty and intriguing stories, found myself mentally fighting a battle of emotions with Khalid Hosseini in Afghanistan, pondered over biases and discrimination with Harper Lee, enjoyed the sloppy worded “Hinglish” work of Chetan Bhagat, defeated prejudices with Jane Austen and understood the complex yet subtle perspective of life with Mitch Albom.

Never have I ever come across a book that has failed to surprise me, it could be a matter of criticism for others but for me, I usually find something in every book that leaves me pensive for days on end. For me, books are way of escaping life, escaping reality.

It has never been about gaining knowledge (although that’s another plus point about books) rather it has always been about the visualization, creation and the perspective that we choose to adopt because we are free to create our own mental characters, visualize them the way we want and then leave it to the advancing plot to vindicate us.

“Books are more than just means of education,

They are an eternal source of imagination,

It’s all about the sensation and the satisfaction,

And I Hope one day, the youth will find as much fascination”

 

Written By - Tushna Choksey

 

Post a Comment

2 Comments

Emoji
(y)
:)
:(
hihi
:-)
:D
=D
:-d
;(
;-(
@-)
:P
:o
:>)
(o)
:p
(p)
:-s
(m)
8-)
:-t
:-b
b-(
:-#
=p~
x-)
(k)