Books Transport Us to New Worlds

Aimun Bilal

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies… The man who never reads lives only one.”  – George R.R. Martin

You need not be a student or a teacher in order to be a reader. Reading has no specific age or profession. However, not many of us are into the habit of reading, yet it is one of the best hobby a person can inculcate. It not only makes us go through the lives and experiences of many people but it also becomes one of the best ways in which we can spend our time productively. We start looking at world from various perspectives which probably was fixed to a particular perspective earlier. New experiences enter our mind and we feel completely different after reading a particular book which touches us in different ways.

Hence, it depends on an individual and everyone has his own perspectives from which they read a particular book. Also, there are many reasons why an individual reads a book. Some read it as a mere hobby, some read to gain some knowledge, others read to improve their writing etc. Purposes can vary, yet the results are fruitful to all.

Even though it may seem boring and difficult in the beginning, especially if one isn’t into the habit of reading,  this habit can be acquired with time. Firstly, it’s one of the best ways to deal with boredom. There are times when we do not feel like doing any other thing which would require some physical activity. We just yearn to spend some time in isolation and reading a good book is the best thing a person can do. It not only make a person feel better but it also shapes ones outlook.

Secondly, at times we are so much caught in our hectic lives and its problems that we seldom enjoy a moment of peace. At such times a good book can help one escape from the vicious cycle of problems that we usually encounter in our lives.  There are many such occasions where we find the character trapped in the problem similar to the one we are encountering in our lives.

When we read a book that deals with the same emotions that one is undergoing, it makes the person feel better as he can relate to it somehow. This further reduces the feelings of alienation that a particular individual might be experiencing.

Apart from the above mentioned benefits, reading also helps in improving emotional health. For example, Catherine Winter in her article ’10 Benefits of Reading: Why You Should Read Every Day’ mentions various benefits of reading such as it helps in stress reduction, vocabulary expansion, memory improvement, improved focus and concentration etc.

Therefore, it becomes very clear how beneficial is reading to a person.

It also becomes a medium of communication with the author. Someone who’s lived or is living in some other part of the world, you get familiarized with his way of thinking.  Books connect us not only to the author but to other readers as well.

More importantly, the more you get into the habit of reading, the more you fall in love with it and a book provides you good company as well.

Reading books can also become a means to strengthen bonds within families. You may read out some chapters from a book to your elders or children who don’t know how to read or who are too small to read book. Therefore, you can enjoy a good family time that’ll keep all of you engrossed in something useful.

Thus, there are endless reasons that can be stated in order to emphasise the advantages of staying connected with books. So, when are you buying yours!

• The writer is currently pursuing her MA English at Mount Carmel College Bengaluru

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