I'm not regularly reading books these days. Thanks to Internet, TV and movies. But I was a voracious reader, only tamil books. Books I have read in English, I can easily count those. Now I'm feeling bad for losing track with reading. So this Post.
This post especially is to remind me how much I'm missing reading books(both in Tamil and English with special regards to English books :-) ). To remind me how I'm wasting my time in unnecessary things which no way going to enrich my knowledge, no way going to make me a better person. To remind me how much I miss those fantastic moments being in solitude with deep thoughts and questions. This post is to help me go back in time (mentally,ofcourse) and revel in time when I enjoy reading. Those magic moments of reading, where waiting for suspense to unfold, overwhelmed by the love, passion and emotions.
When I started reading English books? I never read even a single book till my college. I just memorised in school days. And how I dreaded English exams? Mugging up a single para from morning to evening....and writing the same thing for any questions asked. Thats how my English was in my school days. I was in English medium and moved to Tamil medium after high school. After my schooling I decided to improve my English. How? How? How? The only way I know was reading. (Thats what I'm good at but in Tamil).
I didn't have proper direction or guidance to how to go about it. In my college, I took English novels from library, kept it with me for a long time and will return it without reading. I remember I started reading Kane and Abel, only a few pages. Read some R K Narayan stories. After that I dont remember anything that worth reading. The first book, as far as my memory goes, I read was Naked face by Sidney Sheldon.
That time, I felt that, that was a good read, though I didnt understand completely. After that I started reading Sheldon books. Most of the times, I read only half of the books and will get bored to continue. Started reading Bloodline, Stranger in the mirror, Memories of midnight and Sands of Time. The books I really completed were Tell me your dreams, If tomorrow comes, The sky is falling ... and and... Oh! God! I read only three sheldon books.
The reason I couldnt complete a full book was, I was still struggling with English. I hadnt improved much even when I was doing post graduation. It was very difficult for me to write even one or two sentences in English without any errors. Only after Joining the tutoring company, since I had lots of time in my hand, and with the happy feeling that I was really earning, I started reading with more passion. Previously there was a purpose for my reading English books. There was a compulsion that I had to improve my language skills, but now, not necessary, I have job. I dont have to worry about my language skill for sometime, till I want to go for another job hunt..
The first book, I really enjoyed reading in English was Harry Potter - the first book - and the Philoshoper's stone. The next two years... reading all Harry potter series...
My life was very simple that time... Get up read Harrypotter...squeeze in some time to get ready... read Harry potter...while travelling read harrypotter.... only my physiqe was here... I was living in Howards school, listening to those magic teachers, speaking with Harry, Hermoine and Ron, Fred, George.... Madly in love with Hermoine... with great respect for Dumbledore...
When I finished the Deadly hollows.... once everything is over.... I felt that emptiness... kind of feel a retired man should get... like the marriage hall after the marriage... I used to get this feel whenever I read a huge novel... Becoz I will be living in that world. I will be mentally having relationship with those people....
After Harry potter.... the very important book which I read was "The fountainhead". This is also a good read. A book about objectivism, oppotunism and all isms... How you want to be? All youth should read the book to know why you are doing and what you are doing. What is it to have an aim, a purpose in life? How the world will react if you want to do things in your way? It will not give answers, but it will help you to ask yourself so many questions. Like whom you want to be? Howard Roark, Peter Keatings, Gail Wynand, or Toohey or like Dominique? Everyone wants to be Howard Roark or Wynand... most of the time we are Peter Keatings...(to be contd... in the next post)
Note: I may alter some of the things later.
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