My need to read

I would say I grew up with books even before I went to Kindergarten. Both my parents were factory workers and I was their only child for many years. Hence, they were both very deliberate in their attempts at making me like books as it was the only sure-fire way they knew how to ensure my academic success. I started off with small pocketbooks with pictures and moved on to fairy tale classic. In primary school I met Enid Blyton and had a whole collection of her books. When I got to secondary school, I started reading any book that i could get my hands on. My teachers introduced A Midsummer night's Dream, The River Between and Macbeth to us.This is when I discovered that I had a deep distaste for the romance genre and liked reading almost anything else. I did what was called 'pure' literature at that time. 

Reading took a back seat in JC for some reason or another. However, once i stepped into University, reading became a form of escape from the drudgery of the math and accounts that I had to do. Whilst I was an intern and all through the first year of my first job, I read voraciously. Books offered a form of escape and     much needed solace. I aimed to get all the books from Oprah's book club (yeah i know right?!). I only got through 4 books on that list. Every birthday or special event in my life was marked with a present of books.

When I started travelling, I chanced upon Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children. I was hooked. Although Rushdie is very long-winded and half the time i didn't understand instantly what he was writing about, he became my favourite writer and I aimed to read all his books. Sometimes I wonder why I torture myself by reading his works as most of the time, I needed to read each book at least twice to understand what was going on. My collection of Rushdie's works is still an on going labour of love.

Since then I pretty much read almost anything I can find. I still have not particularly favored any genre, but my dislike for romance remains. To me, books are a constant companion. They open windows into other worlds that would otherwise be unavailable to me. 

My personal opinion is that children should not be forced to read. Forcing anyone to do anything makes them eventually resent it. Children should be introduced to books and allowed to explore on their own. Doing so might allow even the most reluctant of readers open a book once in awhile.