What book are you reading right now?
Reading books provides a vibrant environment rich in knowledge, enhancing reading and writing skills while facilitating engaging discussions. Serious literature, whether novels, poetry, or philosophical texts, yields profound insights. The trend of boasting about reading speed often overlooks genuine comprehension. The protagonist values quality over quantity, cherishing works by authors such as Tolstoy and modern writers. He appreciates diverse genres, including wildlife literature, while embracing technology like e-readers for convenience. Ultimately, books serve as enduring companions, providing knowledge and enriching experiences.
Table of contents
Key Takeaways
- Reading enhances comprehension and discussion, particularly through serious literature.
- Modern readers often favor speed over genuine comprehension, which undermines true understanding.
- The protagonist values quality reading, enjoying a variety of genres and authors including Tolstoy and Jim Corbett.
- Books offer mental health benefits, including reduced stress and improved problem-solving skills.
- Technology has made reading more accessible, with devices like Kindle allowing convenient access to literature.
Introduction
Reading books is like roaming in an environment full of vigour and knowledge. It gives pleasure of learning new things. It helps hone the skill of reading and writing. One can plan an idea to converse with people and the masses using words needled into thoughts. The fragrant garland of different flowers gives a feeling of elation. A good book does the same by filling in good thoughts. It provides a mild but pleasing fragrance which lasts long.
Reading books gives aplenty
(a) Serious literature
Serious literatures are the ones that give aplenty. It can be a novel, a poem, a drama, a work of philosophy, a scientific treatise, or a political discourse. They give a deep insight and a wealth of knowledge.
(b) Reading with speed vs comprehension
Nowadays, reading is being portrayed as something fashionable. People are seen boasting about their “skill”. They claim about their reading speed and are garrulous about the number of books they finish reading in a day. It seems ridiculous. Most of such “voracious” readers don’t comprehend the contents of the book. Ignoring the seriousness of the work, their focus seems to be on boasting their “ability” of reading with supersonic speed!
(c) Artificial show-off
While contemplating such people, the face of his colleague emerged on the mental canvas. He considered him a serious person. Yet, as he delved deeper into conversation with his colleague, he appeared very superficial. He would always carry books with him, posing to read them. Later, when his personality was exposed, the protagonist’s opinion changed about his colleague.
Reading helps
(a) Concept building
As has been mentioned above, reading gives insight. They cover a wide variety of topics. Non-fiction writings sometimes can be heavy, but the content they deliver is worth it. Reading nourishes the thought process. It buttresses the idea for a good expression by helping develop a concept. When blended with personal imagination, this gives deep and insightful content.
(b) Reading for mental health
Reading books helps ease mental stress, fight dementia and releases mental fatigue. It is observed that Biblotherapy develops empathy and compassion. It helps in problem-solving at an older stage of life. A psychotherapist gives a book to the ailing old person and later discusses its contents with him. Though the effective results are still to be worked out, it gives a boost to the mental condition. (WebMD)
Quality Reading
(a) Deep insight
Let’s leave it here and focus on our protagonist. He is in deep thought about the books he read in the recent past. Since his early days, he has been fond of reading books and novels. Usually, serious novels and literature are his favourites. Writers like Maxim Gorkey and Leo Tolstoy were his favourites. He took an interest in scientific and philosophical literature. Besides reading novels translated from other regional languages, he used to give weightage to serious readings. He read authors like Kuldeep Nayer and Durga Das and admired their grasp of affairs. Their deep insight into the topics they deal with is admirable.
(b) Not particular
He doesn’t stick to a particular genre of writing or language, but relishes quality work that can involve him. He often reads translated versions if the original work is not easily available.
(c) Light and interesting
Topics on the environment, forests, and wildlife are his favourites, but he often reads light and interesting literature fondly. He likes reading interesting suspense and horror fiction. The famous novel “She” by William Haggard and the horrors of “Dracula” by Bram Stoker take him to another world. The page-by-page exploration gives him a thrill as he progresses through the warp and weft of the plot. He likes reading them over and over again.
(d) Stories from the wild
(i) Jim Corbett
The stories of the forest and wildlife attract him very much. He enjoyed reading all the works of Jim Corbett. The most impressive of them all was “Man Eaters of Kumaon”. Corbett, as the world knows him, was a sharpshooter and an experienced hunter. Nevertheless, realising the Nature and its varied components, he hung up his rifle and started shooting with a camera. The hunter-turned-naturalist, Corbett, believed that shooting a tiger with a camera is more difficult. He became a great naturalist and contributed a lot to conserving wildlife and their habitat.
(ii) EP Gee
On this line, the book by the great naturalist and author EP Gee is necessary to mention. His work “Wildlife of India” is well written and is packed with facts and interesting incidents. Gee was an expert on the wildlife of India and toured extensively in various parks and sanctuaries of the country. Lugging his heavy cameras and paraphernalia, he photographed and recorded Indian wildlife and meticulously documented jungle accounts. Through this, he accumulated a wealth of precious information. Reading his book is an experience inexpressible.
Books on historical background
Books written on a historical background are a blend of fiction and reality. They not only amuse the reader but also help them with their deep, insightful content as well. There are works which are factual but written in a style of storytelling. They entertain and give valuable knowledge.
(a) Historical accounts of events
Book by Deewan Germany Das, “Maharaja” fits well in the category described above. It is an account of debauchery by the erstwhile princes and kings, presented interestingly. Similarly, the writings of Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, like “Freedom at Midnight” and “O Jerusalem”, are excellent. They are written lucidly in a storytelling fashion. Nowadays, our protagonist is reading “O Jerusalem”. The book is based on various interviews and location studies. It is intertwined with historical incidents and happenings.
Scanning bookstores
Scanning bookstores has been his favourite activity. He couldn’t afford to buy expensive books. So, he usually eyed cheaper or paperback editions. Almost all the books which he has are paperback editions. Those who knew him would occasionally gift him books. He was absorbed while reading fiction or serious books. Besides suspense and thrillers, he enjoys reading historical thrillers and works based on epic characters. Books like “Asura” by Anand Neelkanthan and “Sita” by Amish are a few among others.
Reading regional writers
Besides these, our protagonist also read many writers of regional languages. The translated versions of Bengali writers, especially Bimal Mitra and Ashapurna Debi, were great works, and he enjoyed reading them. Various Hindi writers have also inspired and instigated his thought processes. He likes to read them too. The notable writers are Munshi Prem Chand, a master craftsman of storytelling. His novels are natural and stem from reality.
Technology and reading
The increased effect of technology affected his reading as well. He believes in change and vehemently supports a good change to accept and make it a way of life. The increasing digitalisation and computer technology have made it easy to access quality reading materials at a moderate cost. Many reading instruments are available in the market. They are not only convenient to use but also give a feel of reading an actual book. He bought one such instrument Kindle Paper reader. It is convenient, and the books he purchases are directly downloaded to the device. He can read them at his convenience. He can now read books without disturbing anyone in the night, without keeping the lights on. It doesn’t strain to eyes as well. Books are available on online platforms. They can easily be purchased from https://amzn.to/3WUYG4u
A slow reader
He doesn’t consider himself a “voracious” reader who tries to gulp down the contents without enjoying them. Reading slowly, he endeavours to absorb the contents sentence by sentence. Unhesitant in accepting that he is not capable of marathon reading, nor does he read fast. He doesn’t see any merit in it.
In the end
It need not be repeated that books are the best friends. They give company, moments of solitude and bliss. Going through a book is pleasurable, which gives a fair amount of food for thought. Befriending books is like accumulating an everlasting wealth. This wealth continues to entertain. It imparts knowledge and guidance whenever and wherever required.
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Kamal Kishore Srivastava
A retired government officer turned writer and photographer, Kamal Kishore Srivastava is a regular blogger and essayist who explores life’s deeper meanings through immersive reflections on nature, impermanence, and happiness. On his blog Nature’s Narrative, he blends philosophical storytelling with practical insights. Writing 1,200–1,500 words or more regularly, Kamal is committed to refining his craft, expanding his audience, and building a sustainable space where thought and feeling intersect.
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