Shashi Dhungel

Kathmandu

The sight of my 12-year-old cousin devouring a 1,200-page ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ in a week fascinated me. She was not reading the book during her vacation but juggling time in between going to school, doing her homework and even helping her mother. But nothing stood in the way of her addiction for the Potter book. As soon as she finished her work for the day, she would be lost in Potter’s world. She read while the family enjoyed a ride in the countryside. She was gathering new and thrilling experiences, quite different from everyday mundane happenings of our lives. I remember when I used to be the same. My favourites were ‘The Famous Five’, ‘Secret Seven’ and the Adventure Series by Enid Blyton. Love stories, suspense and thrillers followed later.

Teenagers love reading Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys before reading the mushy stuff that Danielle Steel stories are made of. Girls often walk around with Mills and Boon, that have the perfect “happily ever after” ending. Reading Sherlock Holmes stories and the gripping novels by Agatha Christie were an addiction. Finding enigmatic heroes in the pages and identifying with them is a strong attraction that leads us to try and imbibe their personality. “Reading novels by Stephen King is like watching movies, you enjoy the feeling of being one with the characters,” said Tejas Poudel, an engineering professional. Books are portable friends. If you have the habit of reading you will never feel lonely. Books broaden your sphere of experience. “Books trigger people’s imagination and bedtime reading can be considered the best quality time and furthermore reading books at night is an antidote for insomnia ,” said Ruby Pokharel, a student of St Xavier’s College. Sudhir Dhungel of APEX college is interested in literature. He likes thought provoking literature and enjoys reading Nepali novelist like Sarubhakta and Ramesh Bikal. Your turn. Go ahead, grab a book!

Bookmark

•Start with magazines, newspapers and comics.

•Read at least a chapter everyday.

•If you find it boring, don’t give up. Find something else.

•Reading improves vocabulary, language and creativity.

•Keep some reading material in sight so when you have nothing to do, you will read.

•Reading can be loads of fun and your only friend when you are all alone.