I recently
heard someone tell that people should not be told what to read. They should not
be looked down upon if they pick up anything which falls under run of the mill
genre or anything which doesn’t fall under the roof of classic or profound
reads. After all, it is just a hobby
which is carried out for FUN.
This is true
because we do have a choice in holding a book. We do have a choice to read what
we like. Like we have a choice in music, television shows and food we eat.
Moreover, there are so many genres and sub-genres to choose from the vast
expanse of bound volumes.
I have
myself encountered many people who try to impose their liking or choice in
others’ lives. They extend this quality of theirs in the arena of books too.
They will not waste any opportunity that comes their way to throw their
unsolicited advice. Be it what to wear, what music to listen, or what books
should one read. They have their own regimented method or rules and they want
everyone to follow the same. They have that smug look when they ask you what
you are reading and having heard your answer, they just shrug their shoulders.
And dimming your enthusiasm right away, they go on rendering their thoughts on
choosing a book. Or choosing the RIGHT books as they put it. For long I have thought
about this obtrusion. While I have taken it with a pinch of salt, I have seen
people squirm with this unwelcome interference. Some are even hurt. And I feel
for them. They draw themselves back from this group of conceited crowds in
order to avoid ridicule.
Having said
that, I have come a long way to realize a new perspective. And that has been
liberating enough. Maybe it can suit to only a smaller niche of readers who
take reading very seriously and put their soul into this activity. While I was
mulling over it on my usual evening walk, my perspective for this unwelcome
intrusion changed a bit. As I am a person who sees only brighter side in every
adversity, I chose to wear the positive lens in this issue too. And that’s when
I started reading between the lines of such obtrusion. In other words, I
widened by horizon and started including the books which had been hitherto out
of my comfort zone. Irrespective of the genres and subgenres of course.
The
journey of BOOKS starts from the writer and ends with the reader.
The books
are definitely written by the pen of a writer but the ink of that pen leaves an
indelible mark on reader’s mind. The impact is powerful and everlasting.
Writing may be a solitary journey, technically one person’s job or relationship
with a pen/computer or any gadget that he/she uses in writing but once it is
out in open, published for the public to lay hands on it, the solitary journey
ends. Readers get into the world of the writer when they start reading the
work. Readers trespass, interfere and usurp the solitary space when the book
falls in their hands. They nod, disagree, contemplate, ponder and argue with every
written word or a phrase. Unknowingly they all happen in the reader’s head. A
strong neurological activity takes place when a new idea in the book comes face
to face with the reader. If the thought aligns with the reader’s thought, it
does not change much but if there are some unfamiliar thoughts that a reader
happens to agree on, not saying just acquiesce, but fully agrees with them,
then a new perspective or a narrative gets formed. A new person with new frame
of mind is born right there.
Strong
NARRATIVES enrich a human mind
We all have
been the torch bearers of strong narratives. And historically, literary society
has played a pivotal role in building and acting as an anchor to steer the ship
of mankind to a right direction. Also, the narratives form a skeletal framework
for the values that one aspires to live by. For example: Louisa Alcott’s little
women delivers a lecture on compassion, empathy and following one’s dream.
Similarly, Nesbitt’s classic Railway Children is all about feeling for others,
doing good deeds. They are fun, adventurous and full of strong morals. Railway
children is a big hit among children and adults. These books not only get
embarked on a journey to reach a reader’s mind but it changes the all round
personality of a reader making him/her more compassionate and kind. There are
many examples of poets who reigned the different regimes and many of the poems
born on those eras are still relevant. The strong narratives are uprooted and
placed on a reader’s mind unknowingly getting into their subconscious space. It
appears and raises its head in their everyday living. Take an example of social
media which brims with requotes and retweets from poets and writers from bygone
era. The humanity is layered with the narratives from our historical past.
Different
HUMAN NATURE co-exists in the world of books
As I
mentioned above that books encompass the world of human nature, let me elaborate
more. The detail and classification of human nature is vast. A reader gets
familiar with different human nature that’s been ruling our mankind when he/she
drowns in that vast expanse. The love and affection of Doctor Dolittle, Peter
pan’s innocence, Little women Jo’s passion for writing, Dicken’s Pip, an
ambitious character, logical and witty Sherlock Holmes, Railway Children’s
Roberta for optimistic quality, The Swiss Family Robinson’s family dwelling on
survival skills and togetherness and many others. A reader gets drawn to vivid
description of a character and their mental makeup. In life, we encounter many
human beings and books act as a compendium to identify the human nature hidden
behind the superficial façade of goodness.
All
books are divisible into two classes: the books of the hour and the books of
all time – John Ruskin
Books may
be divided into two sets. The litmus test of time paves way for some to
traverse through many generations and for others, they satiate the thirst of
the hour. I would say read both the sets as you get a perspective each time you
come across a new text. But remember, the books of all time will enrich your
personality like no other. The obtrusion is unwelcome but that should not stop
or make you averse to the unlimited volumes strewn all over the ocean of life.
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