• TOPICS
KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 28
Your reading bent says a lot about you – whether you are a conservative or a liberal, whether you support feminist and social movements, or if you believe in LGBTQ rights. While the preference of your reads discloses your personality, what you read in turn shapes you as a person. Often, even the most orthodox of persons change their outlook in life after reading a powerful book. Thus, the power, scope and influence of reading must not be underestimated.
As a beginner in my childhood, I started off with fairy tales and children's books. As a teenager, I mostly read light fictions, which included mystery books, namely, whodunits. Agatha Christie was my favourite author, and I also delved into English classics.
In my twenties, I took to literary fiction with much fervour.
Novels and short stories were my go-to reads. However, when I reached my thirties, the topics of my books got diversified. I explored non-fiction books, and as a result, I gained much knowledge about subjects such as psychology and other social sciences.
Today, I try to be as diverse as I can while reading. Besides books, I read articles on my mobile while rummaging through social media sites for the latest in news and events. But more significantly I read literary essays, which have helped shape my perception of English literature.
From articles in Psychology Today to narrative essays in Literary Hub, I have discovered a new-found enthusiasm for essays.
When people read fiction, they interact creatively and critically with the authors. Fiction readers develop a keen sense of empathy as they relate to the fictional characters. On the other hand, reading non-fiction provides knowledge, expertise and information on diverse subjects, whether they concern our career or not.
People also read for comfort or to escape from something or as a coping mechanism. Especially during the recent times, when people have lost a near or dear one, people turned to literature as a coping mechanism. It goes to show the positive effect that literature has on us. Particularly the young minds are shaped by the books they read.
From folktales to fiction, biography and memoirs, it is important that young students be as diverse as they can when it comes to their reads.
The ubiquity of the internet, social media and the smart phone means that today one can read by simply scrolling through the online platforms. It is the digital age that calls for tech-smart decisions to catch up with the latest developments.
And technology can be used to diversify our reads.
The next time you swipe your phone or electronic devices, ensure that you read short articles, stories and essays.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 1 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
