While reading books is a diminishing habit – largely because of development of computer technologies, the best thing you can gift anyone are still books
Little more than a decade ago, my father requested my school principal to come to inspect my study room and to scold me for reading too many novels. I had accumulated around two dozens of books in my shelf then. Most of them were non-fictions but as anything other than course-books was considered ‘upanyas’ (novel) in those days, reading them was thought of as a habit that students had to avoid.
One of the most treasured moments of my childhood was when my principal visited demanding to see all my books and after inspecting them for half-an-hour or so, picked out a novel by Yudhir Thapa and said: “Except this one, reading other books is good.” Thapa was considered to be a pulp fiction writer of the time.
The statement left such a strong impact on my young mind that within next few years, I was notorious for gifting people books on their birthdays. I knew many of them would have preferred something else, but I was determined to show to them the imagination, wisdom and experience that a few hundred pages of bound printed papers have with in its pages by getting people into reading books.
For me, reading books was always joyous – and many times I have wondered why people do not love to lose themselves into the wonderful world of imaginations, experiences and knowledge of books.
Why read books?
Although many of us can read, we are not born with the ability to read and enjoy the books. Often there needs to be an external factor, a person or situation, for people to give a jump start before they begin enjoying books. Some pick up a book when they have nothing else to do – and then are addicted to reading slowly. Some are given books as a gift.
Others hear praises of certain books from friends and feel compelled to read them. And the others start reading after someone puts pressure on them. Yet others, as in my case, start reading after they buy books to exchange the big bank notes they steal from their parents’ wallet.
But unless one starts with a couple of books that are of their liking, it is not easy to get addicted to reading. And, unless addicted, one will never understand what reading books can offer.
As UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova points out, books are both, an object and an idea. On her message on the occasion of the World Book and Copyright Day that falls on April 23, she has written: “…
[books] express the mind of an author and find meaning in the imagination of readers. Reading is private conversation, but books are all about sharing – sharing experience, knowledge and understanding.”
The greater value of books lies in the idea they express. It allows people to dive into the world imagined by the author, to feel the emotions of those non-living characters and best of all, to learn from their situations, experiences and conversation. As Stephen King writes in his memoir, books are the ´only proven method of time-travel.’
Enjoying the world of imagination is not an escape from reality, as many people believe. It is rather pushing oneself into reality. Although many fictions create an imaginative world, they however, come from the experiences of the writers, and thus prepare people to face the different situation and even learn from the experiences of the characters. A Nepali proverb has rightly described the importance of reading books: Kita parera janinchha, kita padhera janinchha– (either you learn by doing or you learn by reading).
In 1995, when UNESCO adopted a resolution proclaiming April 23 as the World Book and Copyright Day, it stated that ´historically books have been the most powerful factor in the dissemination of knowledge and the most effective means to preserving it.´ While computer technologies may be, arguably, a better way to disseminate and preserve knowledge, books have not found their substitute in the domain of preserving knowledge.
Gift a book
Television and/or lately computer technologies have become the first choice for many people to spend their leisure time, giving rise to the notion that bookshelves may look like a bad alternative to Plasma TVs or an internet-ready computer. The development of ebook readers and possibility of interactive knowledge gaining through computer technologies have been the reasons for many people to believe that ebooks are better than paper books. However, the joys that paper books can provide to the readers cannot be compared with anything.
It should also be remembered that televisions or computers are more inclined towards non-reading entertainment and because of the versatility in services they offer, they are also a distraction and hard to concentrate on reading materials. Books on the other hand, serve as a personal companion and still have their worth for the beauty that words can produce.
Especially for children and youngsters, it is good to give books rather than computer or gadgets so that they develop a habit of reading, divulging into the world of knowledge, enjoy the non-existent world that only imagination can produce, and also enhance their experience.
This year, I have promised two of my nieces, who are also the daughters of the principle of the school I went to, a book each as a gift on the International Book Day. On knowing this promise, he said one of the most satisfying statement to me: “At least, my daughters learned to read books because of you.” Two down, many more to go!
I conclude with a personal request for all. Gift children books and if possible heed to popular American writer Roald Dahl:
So please, please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install,
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Happy Reading!
