THEORY OF BOOK READING

Naturally being a professor and a writer, I value books. I have read a good number of books of various kinds. I did take down notes in my journal regularly. At times, I look back those pages to recollect what I liked in those books. Most of the books whether they are novels, short stories, poems, self-help ones or scientific did motivate me. Such motivations are useful only if we practice within one or two days. Otherwise they are of no use! That was my experience too. It seems only 10% of the book buyers read beyond the first chapter. If that is true, a lot of money is being wasted!Unfortunately, reading has become the practice of the past. Although there are attempts at various quarters for promotion of book reading such as book clubs, exhibitions, community and college libraries, people are not very much bothered to read.In some families parents advise children to read books of their choice. Reading is a good exercise for mind and body. The best time for reading I found, was early morning. The absorption of the read material by our brain is very much. You can try, if you don’t know already. It’s a fact because I tried it.It’s always advisable to make it a habit of reading for one hour every morning. The book one chooses may be of one’s choice based on one’s interest. Students may prefer to read their text books whereas others may prefer other type of books.I consider that books are the best friends and treasures one acquires during our life time. They stimulate our creative thinking. General knowledge is very important nowadays for our life. We need to live up-to-date. The world is changing so fast that we have to cope up with it. So learning becomes a continuous process all through our life.The books we buy, we read and digest have to be preserved in our home library for others to use them. Every family should have a home library which has to be built up by adding read books over time. It should be used by the members and friends of the family. In today’s world, knowledge is fed to people through computers, television, mobiles etc., because people do not have time to read books. This is not acceptable, because people while traveling long distances either by train or by air have lot of time which can be used for reading not for sleeping. Also as I mentioned earlier, one hour every morning is possible for every one to grab from their daily routine. So, even in this age of electronic life, everybody has little time for reading books.I feel that the helpfulness of books has to be evaluated properly for different age groups, because it is essential in today’s context. Education has spread like wild fire in the whole world and more particularly in our country – India. Almost no one feels they have been harmed by reading books. One stops reading a book if he or she does not like it.Scientific evaluation by conducting surveys and interviews in a community of people, will reveal the present position of book reading culture. Ways and means can be found for improving or encouraging people to read books. Such activity may be initiated by local associations, Non-governmental organizations, social societies, even libraries and government organizations. These evaluations will bring out the real reading habits of our people.Book exhibitions can be organized in small towns to encourage people to buy books and read, in stead of all sorts of exhibitions which only to help us to buy household items and other wasteful things. Think of books and read good books to gather knowledge and become wise.