‘Book’ed for life

I’m a self professed book fanatic. Ever since I can remember books have been my passion. Even as a child I recall being much more excited to receive a book as a birthday present than a board game. That’s just the way I was. I was a book worm.

I grew up, as do many young children, on a steady diet of Hans Christian Anderson and Enid Blyton among other authors. Many an afternoon were spent with a copy of Enid Blyton’s undoubtedly magnificent children’s book ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’. The book took me on a rollercoaster of adventures where I was transported off to one magical land after another, far away from the worries of everyday life. Even as a child I knew that life was not all hunky-dory. Childhood was an extremely difficult time, but books were my escape route to the land of bliss.

With the onset of teens came the mystery novel phase. Nancy Drew, Famous Five and Hardy Boys became my constant companions but my all-time-favourites were the Secret Seven. I had read the entire range of the Secret Seven series available at the time. Peter, Colin and Janet’s worries and triumphs became mine. I looked forward to the secret meetings in the garden shed with lemonade and chocolate chip cookies, held my breath as we got close to solving a crime and let out a loud “yippee!” when the mystery was solved. I even wanted a dog like Scamper!

My passion for reading and books eventually led me into taking up English Literature as a subject in college and I eventually majored in it. It was here, sitting on the wooden benches of Chowgule College that we were transported to the exotic lands of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome through the words of another person. From William Wordsworth’s vibrant, bursting yellow fields of golden daffodils to the “lovely, dark and deep” woods of Robert Frost to T.S Elliot’s remorseful ‘Wasteland’ we saw it all – with our minds and our hearts. Life’s lessons on basic human emotions like envy, hatred and undying love were learnt in out tiny classrooms through the fascinating literary works of Milton, Shakespeare and Bronte.

For my final year project I choose to critically analyze a book by a Goan author – something that very few, if any, had attempted before. Being a Goan I was determined to find a Goan author preferably living in Goa. This also meant doing loads of ground work as there are barely a handful of books or websites that contain a critical analysis of books by Goan authors. I eventually settled on Dr. Cramo Pegado’s novel ‘Angela’s Goan Identity’. Though I didn’t quite grasp the essence of the much-talked-about concept of ‘Goan Identity’ in its entirety, it was an extremely valuable experience.

It pains me immensely when I watch kids today spend far more time shooting down ‘the enemy’ on computer games and watching the ‘power puff girls’ do their thing on pogo rather than bury their pretty little heads into a good book. It’s not their fault really. Its family and friends who need to inculcate the habit while the child is still young. My brother’s lack of interest in reading worried me a great deal, until I gifted him a library membership for his 11th birthday. There’s been no need to worry since then, at least where reading was concerned.

Reading opens up a whole new world of creative thought. A good book can inspire and motivate you to dream and then make those dreams a reality. A single sentence, a phrase, an idea can tug at your emotions and coax you ahead. During one of my lowest lows, it was Yann Martel’s ‘Life of Pi’ which gave me the courage to pick myself and move on. Every time I felt I was drowning in despair, I reached for the book and read the quotes which I had underlined with a pencil. The book kept me afloat.

The next time I visit my little godchild I’m taking along a present – an Enid Bylton book. I suggest you do the same.