Reading Books, Growing Minds # Reason 1

Books for me are the true treasure-trove and knowledge trunks. You just open them and find inside them: knowledge, information and wisdom galore. I have always been fascinated by books on fiction, non-fiction, books on mind, body and soul, books on self help and building character. Library used to be my favorite place and books my favorite friends in my college days.

So today, I think I must share with you how I developed this habit of reading books and why reading books should be a habit that you should work on in 2015.

Credits: Google Images

Remembering my past, I can say I grew up watching my grandfather always reading and enjoying books. He was an English Teacher and retired as a Principal of Inter College. What is true for Jorge Luis Borges that “I cannot sleep unless I am surrounded by books,” holds true for my grandfather and one of my mentors, Prof PV Dhamija as well . I have never seen my grandfather retiring to his bed without reading a page or two from his favorite books. Books can be seen on his bed side, on his table, in his bag and on his shelves. Even at the age of 85, he seems to be enjoying his life with great books which till date are his best companions. And as Aristotle says that a child learns by imitations, so did I, I think. Second was the influence of my father. He was not a bookish man, but he loved reading biographies and autobiographies of Yogis and saints which were a regular part of his group discussions and meetings at home. And third and the most significant influence is of my subject English Literature which allowed me to read more and more and more and more. And the more I read, the more I realised how less I know. So, I tried to read more and more and more and more and inculcated this habit of reading more and more. And you know more and more.

So here is my #Reasons No. 1 for sharing why in 2015 we should start honing this habit of reading books.

Reading books make us a person of intellect says Ralph Waldo Emerson. To quote his words, “If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads.” I do have come across few men of intellect, but have never been able to ask what books they read. However, it is through reading, I got the list of good reads by the men of intellect and influence.

Bill Gates, just visit  his blog and check his reading list, you will get the answer of his rare intellect. And yes, should I share with you how much Warren Buffett reads. He reads a lot. A lot means, a lot. He has been reported in The Week to spend 80% of his day reading and thinking. And yes, he reads almost 500 pages every day and reading is his second nature and his formula of getting smarter. “That’s how knowledge builds up, like compound interest,” he says. He seems to be seriously following the advice by Franklin that ” An investment in knowledge pays the highest interests.”

I cannot miss Oprah Winfry, who is one of the world’s most generous philanthropists and has been very well known for her Talk Show, The Oprah Winfry Show. Inspired by great books and  their authors she started on-air “Oprah Book Club” in 1996, the same year in which Google boys, Larry Page and Sergey Brin started their venture. They were Ph. D research scholars at Stanford University then, when they came across the idea of starting their venture Google in 1996. Their research involved voluminous reading of books, research papers and of course experimentation which led to the formation of a new technology called Page Rank. Rest we all know is the history.

If these people, with their minute to seconds scheduled can pick up reading a book and finish it, can’t we? Of course, we can.

If you still want to know more, here I go, a single book, Unto This Last by John Ruskin inspired Gandhi ji so much that he called it ‘ Sarvodaya’ and started following its teaching and just became Mahatma Gandhi. When Ray Bradbury, the famous American Novelist, was bullied by his fourth grade friends who tore his favorite comics strips  by Buck Rogers, he decided never to talk to those boys again and started his writing, he then, “Became a writer,” said Ray. JK Rowling, in an interview in The Scotsman in 2002, mentioned Elizabeth Goudge’s The Little White Horse as having more influence than any other book on Potter Series. Potter Series, as you all know, created history.

So what are you waiting for, go to a book shop or visit your college library or near by local library. If not, get something from Google,  it is always ready to help, or purchase something from Google Play. If you don’t want to invest, free books are also available. Borrow from your friends or your teachers. Just pick up your favorite book from the field of your interest and start today. Today means today. And yes try to finish it in a week or at least in a month, you will be a changed person after completing the book. I can guarantee and vouch for it. But first, pick up the book and read the book and I need’t tell you what you will become after reading that book.

Because in words of Confucius, “By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is the noblest; second, by imitation, which is the easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” And fourth, according to me, which combines all is by reading books, which is the sincerest.

Have Happy Reading Hours in 2015!