I developed a passion for books quite early in my life. At the village school I attended, there were hardly any books to read. My class teacher, a balding man, used to carry a book wherever he went. When I visited the village temple, I saw the chief bhikkhu reading a thick book which had big letters. He hated being disturbed.
When I moved to a city school, I was delighted to see a fully-equipped library. Although there were thousands of books, very few children read them. When the librarian retired, the school did not get a replacement for some time. My class teacher who knew of my passion for books suggested that I should look after the library until a librarian was appointed. I spent most of my free time in the library reading short stories, novels and biographies. Sometimes, I took some books home for reading.
As the books belonged to the school library, I could not underline any phrases or make marginal comments. So I pressed my father to buy me books. I was keen on building up my own private library. The first book my father bought was a children’s book. The story was all about a cunning fox. Later, I learned that our country was ruled by a President whose nickname was ‘Old Fox.’
When I got a small job in a Government Department, I started buying books every month spending a sizeable part of my salary. Books kept me company when I was alone at home. My life was just my books and me. What a delight! I innocently believed that no one else would be reading the books I had. I derived a kind of selfish pleasure out of reading. My moods changed according to the books I was reading.
Close relationship
In the classroom, I was always ahead of others because I was a regular reader. I always had a close relationship with the printed page. I felt that the book I was reading spoke to me invigorating my life. I made copious marginal comments in the books I read. I did so boldly because the books belonged to me. Through annotating books, I had a kind of dialogue with the authors. All of a sudden I would stop the flow of printed words to intervene with my pen or pencil.
By underlining certain words, phrases and whole sentences, I learned something new. Sometimes, I used to put question marks on the margin whenever I disagreed with the author. After reading the books, I used to read my own marginal notes at a later date. It was one way of reviving what I had read a few days ago. Later in life, I learned that making notes in a book is a way of introducing yourself into the text. I found it to be a thrilling intellectual exercise. I came across a book annotated by Martin Wickremasinghe. He had made copious marginal notes. Lord Macaulay was another erudite person who used to make marginal notes in the books he read.
When I became a scribe, I had to read and write a lot. I enjoyed both activities immensely. When you read a book, an unknown passion will take hold of you. As an adult, I read with discrimination. By making marginal notes, I tell the author how much I liked or hated him. I still thumb through books I had read many decades ago. Sometimes, I find myself face to face with my younger self.
Certain marginal comments I had made a few decades ago seem stupid now. However, they are living traces of my thoughts and sensibilities at a particular time. Therefore, I never lend my books to anyone else fearing that they would laugh at my comments. Another reason is that if you lend a book, it will never be returned.
Serious competitors
Today, books have many serious competitors such as films, theatre, television and the Internet. What is more, some people read e-books without buying the printed version. I do not read e-books because I cannot make marginal comments in them. Films and plays give you much entertainment, but they cannot replace books. When you read books, you develop your critical sense. You cannot lead a meaningful life without a critical sense.
To see a film or a stage play, you have to spend a lot of time, money and planning. You have to adjust yourself to different show times. When you return home, what you have seen becomes a dream. However, the situation is quite different when you finish reading a book. If you read a book with understanding, you become enlightened on many subjects. Unlike a film or play, you can read book at any time of the day. You can carry the book in your pocket and read it while travelling on a train or bus. Sometimes, you can read a book while waiting in a queue.
The new generation has dumped books in favour of mobile phones. Some people carry more than one mobile phone. However, everything comes in cycles. I have a quaint feeling that one day, people will prefer books to mobile phones.
Any book lover should read Ruskin Bond’s ‘Confessions of a book lover.’ It is a personal reflection on the author’s life-long love of reading, essentially acting as a memoir where he shares his favourite characters and literary figures collected from books he had read. He offers glimpses into the transformative power of literature and the profound impact certain books have had on him. He describes his literary journey, highlighting cherished classics and their authors who shaped his personal perspective. Anyone can be a Ruskin Bond provided they become committed readers and book lovers.
