A Book for Everyone

A book for you,

A book for me,

A book for the young mamma

That got her through the de-li-very.

A book in need,

A book for a deed,

Is the book that we all want, indeed.

A book for my aunt,

A book for her niece,

A book for their maid

Who tries to read e-very-day.

A book that excites us all,

A book that binds us all,

Is the kind of book that says it all!

A book for a seller,

A book for a collector,

A book for the dog-walker

Who loves them all.

A book for sorrow,

A book for grief,

Is a book for happiness and relief.

A book for your shelf,

A book on your desk,

There is a book here

For Uncle Sam.

A book to try it on,

A book to wear it off,

There is a book, for that is all you want.

One of my friends, who like me is an avid reader, told me that one of her batch-mate asked her to suggest a book to start off reading with. Whenever a non-reader asks us for a book suggestion, we get very excited and happy. Our happiness shoots through the roof as one more person is added to this happy family of book-worms. But she told me, she did not know which book to suggest! She was completely clueless. Not that she did not want him to read. It was mainly fear. Along with being happy for the fact that someone from now on will resort to the joy of reading, we are frightened, frightened to suggest that “one” book which will decide his/her reaction and future towards reading.

What genre would he/she prefer? Should I suggest my favourite book- isn’t that a bit too complex? I think I will suggest something fun and quirky. What about the book that got me started off reading with? I think he/she will definitely like this book, or maybe not?! – These are just a few random thoughts that haunt us when we are asked for a book recommendation. We are put in a tight spot.  

The fear that resides in a reader is genuine. They desperately want their non-reader friends to read the books they liked themselves. There is a sense of urgency to catch up on books/ reading they have missed so far.  

The best way to begin reading is to start with popular fiction. Once you get acquainted with the style, you can then slowly move on and discover new/other genres.

Everyone has a different reading style- a book you loved might not affect me that much and vice versa. We need to discover our reading style, as it is in a constant state of evolution. Every reader evolves after a period of time. I started off reading with Nancy Drew and Famous Five, shifting to Sidney Sheldon and Nora Roberts, then shifting to Dan Brown and Sherlock Holmes, and finally settling on likes of Rushdie and Marquez. The flow chart for every person varies.

There are more than a million books to choose from, and there is one for everyone and anyone. A book never fails you. It doesn’t have a right perspective, it shapes its meaning in accordance to your understanding. All you need is patience and love. My advice to a first time reader is not to judge; give it some time and let it grow on you! The pleasures of reading are innumerable.

To help you out, I will soon come up with a Beginners Reading List. Try to have some fun and discover this new-found hobby.

Happy Reading until my next post!