The Role Of Books In Human Life - Essay Example

The Role Of Books In Human Life Introduction I had a fondness for books from a very early age. Being an introvert, I like to entertain myself with reading, watching movies and listening to music. Books are my first preference and I can proudly say that I have a mini library at home. I maintain my books with utmost care and I take care to keep myself updated with the latest releases of my favorite authors. My Early Memories As far back as I can remember I started reading books even before I turned ten. Of course, school books at that time were more important, but I simultaneously developed a liking towards storybooks. I got my reading habit mostly from my elder sister who is four years older than me. She has always been a bookworm. She was a good student at school and I have always seen her studying for long hours. Other than school books she was an avid reader of children's novels and short stories. For her birthdays she used to request our relatives to gift her with books. Her birthday falls four days ahead of me and as a result, both our birthdays were celebrated on the same day. I remember she used to get piles of books and for the next few weeks, I used to see her absorbed in those books. Whenever she finished with one book she used to give me that book and told me to read it. Initially, I showed little interest in reading any books other than school books, but gradually as she encouraged me to read I started reading short bedtime stories by children’s authors. My interest slowly developed in books but I was founder of watching movies than reading books. As we grew up and started attending high school I could see my sister's love for books grow with time. I still remember she bought the membership in a local circulating library when she was in the eleventh standard. Every week she used to borrow two to three books and then she spent long hours into the night to read them. Those days I used to find it difficult to comprehend how one can lose sleep for books. Experience of initial days I remember vividly those days when I first started reading books by Enid Blyton. I found myself introduced to a fascinating world of fairy tales and myths. I started reading those books and gradually I became engrossed. I hardly finished one book before I requested my sister to provide me more books. But the book which turned me into a serious reader was handed over to me by my sister when I was in the ninth standard. It was Doctors by an American author Erich Segal. The book grabbed my attention from the very first page and as soon as I finished it I wanted to read more books by the same author. From that day onwards my sister used to borrow books from the library both for her and for me. As I read more books of Erich Segal, my love for books grew rapidly. I found myself getting more interested in novels rather than short stories. I developed my interest in fiction novels. Non-fiction and classics never grabbed my interest. My Favourite Author I have read hundreds of books in my lifetime. I have read books of every genre like adventure, romance, thrillers, comedy and even horror. My favorite author is a British writer Jeffrey Archer. I have read almost all his books including the latest one Only Time Will Tell. The unexpected twists and turns in his books and the fact that the characters are never larger than life are what I find most engrossing. The Book that influenced me the most Although I mostly admire books of Jeffrey Archer, the book that has left a lasting effect on me is Love Story by an American author Erich Segal. Segal’s books are always rich with emotions. Love Story is a novel based on two people Oliver and Jennifer from completely different family backgrounds. They are bonded by the strong love that they feel for each other. It is a story how they meet and then very soon fall in love with each other. They get married even though Oliver's father was dead against the marriage. Later on, Jennifer gets terminally ill and dies at the end of the book. It also portrayed the various attempts of Jennifer to unite the father with his estranged son but fails in her lifetime. The scene that touched me the most was the last one where Oliver breaks down and hugs his father for the first time. Jennifer's wish that one day Oliver goes back to his father gets fulfilled after her death. By nature, I am an emotional person and this book had a profound effect on me. It instilled in me the fondness for books based on relationships. The characters were portrayed in a realistic manner and it was easy to relate to them. The narration had a lyrical touch and I feel it is the best book of the author. A challenging read A couple of years back my cousin gave me a book called The Fountainhead by a Russian author Ayn Rand. I find it a very challenging book to read. It is a long novel about an individualistic architect Howard Roark. It is based on how he struggles to make a name in the industry without compromising his ethics and principles and the complex relationships that he shares with the other characters of the novel. It can be considered as a philosophical as well as a romantic book. Although the story aroused interest in me till date, I have never finished reading the book because of the complex nature of the story. I find it very difficult to understand the psychology of the protagonist and his undeterred stubbornness to stick to his beliefs. Even today as I try to read the book, I cannot go beyond a few pages. I am hoping to finish reading the book one day. Conclusion Reading gives me immense pleasure and when I read I feel that I have stepped into another world. Books give me company whenever I feel lonely or depressed. My sister has been the most influential person in my life as far as reading is concerned. Today she is married and busy with her son and job and she hardly gets time to read books, but I continue to read books and every book gives me the pleasure and thrill that I felt from reading the first book of my life. Read More