Books have always been an important part of my life. I learnt how to read before going to school, and even then I was an avid reader. The pile of books in my room grew rapidly, but I kept them tidy and well organised so that I could find the one I wanted easily. Perhaps that is why I am constantly rearranging things around the house to be in a more orderly fashion.
Books really have always been a way to escape reality. I can simply open a book and all of my worries will float away for a while. And even as I close the book, the story shadows my thoughts and dreams, easing my way through life. It’s rather strange how these little black swirls and dots on a page can change one’s life. When authors write a book, they are giving their opinion on a subject. And when you read a lot of books, you discover all these different points of view; giving me a new perspective on things and helping me forge my own outlook on life today.
A couple of years ago, I met Nicky Singer, author of Feather Boy, with whom I exchanged ideas in a writing workshop. Actually talking with the person who wrote this book was an amazing experience and reinforced my wish to continue writing.
I create many alternative universes which is probably what motivated me to start a website, where I publish some of my writings. I have met people around me who like the same books as I do, and have made interesting friends who recommend even more books.
When you read many books, you do not simply have a better literary culture, but you also learn many random facts. For instance thanks to the Hunger Games (Collins), I know now that mockingbirds mimic the sounds of other birds and insects. Percy Jackson (Riordan) taught me about Greek and Roman mythology, Dracula (Stoker) confirmed my suspicions that vampires do not glitter in the sunlight, as they do according to Twilight (Meyer), and Divergent (Roth) reminded me of five important words that define us as human beings (amity, abnegation, dauntless, erudite and candor). The Book Thief (Zusak) showed me that there are two sides to everything, the Perks of Being a Wallflower (Chbosky) gave me hope, Looking for Alaska (Green) told me that some things are best left unknown and the Count of Monte Cristo (Dumas) made me understand that life is not a fairy tale.
All of these characters have such different lives, such different personalities. When I am in a difficult position, I ask myself what my favourite character would do in this particular situation. When I meet someone, I subconsciously compare them to a character from a story. Now whether or not that is a good thing, I couldn’t tell you, but it certainly is a part of who I am.
I have always relied on books to help me on this thrilling journey we call life. All of these stories have such a great influence on me and the decisions I make. Books truly define who I am today.