Thomas Mann always worked on each book for a very long time. Even when the manuscript was supposedly ready, he continued to work on it.
When he kept changing words in ‘The Magic Mountain’, his publisher finally called him up and wailed, “We’ll never get this book out! You have been working on it for eternity!”“After all,” was his calm reply, “I’m writing it for eternity!”
If good books are written for eternity, we have every right to read them. But the problem is how to find good books for our reading. The book publishing world is on fire these days. More books are being published than never before, which means you have more books to choose from than your parents or grandparents when they were your age. I have a pile of new and old books on my desk that I want to read and it keeps on growing because there are so many good books coming out almost every day.
Although I am happy with the type of books I read, it may not work well for others. The main problem appears to be that many people have no idea about how and where to find a good book to read. Sometimes people ask, “What are the good books we should read?” One solution is to talk to your friends. If you and your friends like the same type of books, chances are that you will like to read them. That is how most of us hear about good books.
‘The Alchemist’
There was a time when our friends talked to us about good books they had just finished reading and telling us to read them. Today such friends are a rare breed because some people no longer read books.
In the absence of friends who read books, check out an author. If you liked a book by a certain author, chances are you would like to read another book by the same writer. After reading Paulo Coelho’s ‘The Alchemist’ I was drawn to some of his other books.
‘The Alchemist’ is a beautiful book about magic, dreams and the treasures we seek elsewhere and then find them on our doorstep. Coelho’s ‘Eleven Minutes’ is a gripping and daring novel. The author sensitively explores the sacred nature of sex and love and invites us to confront our own prejudices and demons and embrace our own ‘inner light.’ Thereafter, I read his other novels such as ‘The Witch of Portabeloo’ and ‘Adultery.’
Another way to find a good book is to visit a library or a large bookshop. A trip to such a place may be somewhat overwhelming because you will come across so many books. If you cannot decide what to read, seek the help of a librarian or bookshop manager who will guide you to the right place. Tell them your interests and what topics you would like to read to make their task easy.
There are some people who do not like to ask for help from others. If you are one of them, you will have to browse. First look at the book covers and read the flaps to see whether they appeal to your tastes. Yet another way is to use the web. You can look up books and book reviews online before heading to the library or the bookshop.
Reading habit
The reading habit should be cultivated at initial stages. There are countless teenagers who do not read any book other than textbooks. If a teenager hates to read books, parents and teachers should find good books for them.
Why do we read? This question has been raised every now and then. A child reads for pleasure, but his pleasure cannot be differentiated. He cannot distinguish between aesthetic pleasure and the pleasure of learning or daydreaming. In adolescence, we realise that there are different kinds of pleasure, some of which cannot be enjoyed simultaneously.
The adolescent looks for a mentor in whose authority he can believe. He begins to read what his mentor recommends. Sometimes, he will read ‘War and Peace’ pretending pleasure. As he grows old, he will read books chosen by himself. This is the beginning of turning himself into a universal man.
The concept ‘Use it or lose it’ applies to the mind as well. Its proponents include an increasing number of neuroscientists and psychiatrists. They believe that a mind challenged by reading or by an engrossing hobby or by work is likely to remain vigorous and creative into old age. Although the brain does not change with age, scientists are not sure what bearing it will have on the ability to think and reason. Dr Gene Cohen, an expert on ageing, says it is no longer assumed that people will suffer mental deterioration as they get older.
When you read a book, you are mentally engaged. While you read, biochemical changes occur in the brain that allows you to function more effectively in cognitive areas such as attention and memory. A reader will be alert and receptive if he is confronted with information that gets him to think about things he is interested in. When you read books regularly, you will have an activated mind. However, unlike in the distant past, you do not read to memorise enormous amounts of information. Most of us do not need that kind of skill today to maintain mental alertness.
Gene Cohen suggests that elderly people should engage in solitary mental and physical activities such as reading and walking. Although they have to keep themselves active physically, they have to keep themselves mentally active as well. You will note that those who read regularly maintain their intellectual abilities and live happily.
One of my colleagues keeps on asking, “Who are the best authors I should read?” Such questions are usually asked by people who never read! If you are an avid reader, you will know what to read.
The same goes with reading books. There is no need to ask others what you should read. If you love reading, you will naturally develop a taste for it. A regular reader knows the authors he should read. Everything depends on your level of education.
A beginner should read fairy tales and then proceed to love stories and detective novels. When he matures, he will develop a taste for reading serious novels and poetry. Then he will turn to psychology and philosophy. In a way, it is a life-long journey. When you keep on reading books on diverse subjects, your outlook on life will also broaden.