Books are a uniquely portable magic. ― Stephen King
I am sure there isn’t anyone who can refute King’s thought. Reading a book is truly a magical experience. The books have the amazing ability to transport us in a different land, time, culture, evoking different feelings of sadness, joy, anger, anticipation – it just all depends on what we are reading.
To me, reading books is truly a rewarding and a unique experience. Here are some of the reasons as to why I read…
- I like the entertainment value a book provides. Simply love the suspense of watching a good plot unfold. The adventure trips to places I may never get to go, the pleasure of meeting so many characters– good as well as bad and the many lives I get to live when reading, is simply amazing.
- It helps to forget the troubles of the day. Like last night, I was stressed about something. It was not in my control and couldn’t do anything about it, other than worrying that is. I decided to pick up a book. I started reading it and within minutes, I was smiling as I turned pages one after the other. In fact, this morning, the first thought I had was, will Alafia get a man of her dreams!
- Books are the goldmines to discover information. How else would I have known about trials and tribulations of a person with person with deteriorating kidney function or how the frauds are committed in the financial world, or the life of an army wife, or legal jargon or mythology or life in Afghanistan… Books are a fab way to benefit from the author’s research.
- Books have helped me to learn and grow as a person. There are so many books that have inspired and encouraged me, shared a new perspective, helped to understand people and problems better.
I had aimed to read 50 books last year and ended up reading 71 books. This year, I plan to read 100 books. And I am planning to read diverse genres, old and new, classics and the ones spanning eras. I am aiming to re-read the books which I have read when I was in school and college. Books by Enid Blyton, Jane Austen, Emile Bronte, Charles Dickens, Harry Potter series, are ranking high on my list. I am also keen to read the Diary of a Wimpy Kid which is a hit with kids now-a-days.
There are a lot of 2015 Reading Challenges doing the rounds on the internet. These 2 caught my interest.
I am sure that I will be able to tick off most of the book types from these two lists easily, but some would be challenging. For instance, finding a book written by an author with your same initials, or reading a translated novel or a book your mom loves (My mom reads newspapers and magazines and solves Sudoku puzzles). But what’s life without challenges!
What are your reasons for reading and what are you reading currently?
Linking this to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge
60 Responses
Cool lists! I think I might join in too! Most, if not all, are doable in the lists.
Great! The more the merrier! Would be fun comparing notes 🙂
You covered most of my reasons Shilpa. The lists sound interesting. Reading has been on a back burner for a while as I got caught up in a 100 other tasks. Hope to catch up this year. You could try translations of some Hindi, Bengali authors. They make for great reads. Premchand, Rabindranath Tagore, sharatchandra – all are great reads.
I know, books are the first casualties when we are swamped with work and life in general. That’s a fab idea. Thanks for sharing, Tulika. Will check out the translations of these greats! 🙂
I am reading a book on how hackers use social engineering techniques to hack into a company and steal critical info, and how that can be prevented by companies. There is a wealth of information out there – they are all inside books/eBooks! Nowadays, I am listening to eBooks using the Text to Speech feature in FBReader app. I am loving it 🙂
Destination Infinity
Wow! The book you are reading will be all Greek and Latin for me!
I downloaded the text to speech feature based on your suggestion, earlier. It is cool. Have read I mean heard one book that way!
My best wishes to you, and hey more post ideas .. write about each book you read in the 2015 🙂
good luck SG
Bikram’s
Thank you so much for your wishes, Bikram! 🙂
Wow!That is a tough challenge. I wish you luck. I try to read as much as I can but can’t take up challenges. 🙂
Thanks Rachna. I like such challenges. Finding some books from both the lists would be difficult, but fingers crossed 🙂
This is a lovely list of reasons to read and I particularly like the way you internally linked to the various books in the post. I really wanted to take up the 2015 reading challenge but with a couple of big commitments and changes this year, I doubt I will be able to do justice to it. I hate not being able to complete what I start.
All the best for you and may you have many days and nights of reading happily 🙂
Thanks Shailaja. I can understand. Hope you still get time to read lots! 🙂
I havent really challenged myself… but i do read a lot..wonder how i fared last year! Maybe such a list will add to the diversity of my reading…sometimes i tend to get stuck to one genre
I think Goodreads is a good way to track the progress of books you have read. Check it out! I like to explore genres though sometimes I do get stuck to one genre especially romance 🙂
I agree with Stephen King!
Some really interesting challenges here, Shilpa. I’m just sticking to a big number (with some quality thrown in of course)! Enjoy your reading in 2015!
You are reading a LOT this year, Corinne! Thank you so much and all the very best to you too. 🙂
I am presently reading two books which are going rather slow mostly because of their heavy content. I am anyway a slow reader, so I don’t really feel I can sign for any reading challenges. But I admire people like you, Shilpa! Wishing you the very best for the 100-book challenge. Something tells me you will read more than 100 this year 🙂
Heavy content… well, it needs to be soaked, chewed and digested so, slow is the pace it is usually read. So, you are doing great. Thanks Beloo for the good wishes, hope I am able to complete it!
🙂 Enjoy, Shilpa. Books are the best companions. Love your reading challenge charts! I am pleased to say that from the Kindred Challenge, I only have 3-4 left to check. 🙂
Wow! Just 3-4 left! That’s awesome! Hope I am able to check all in the list too. Thanks Vidya 🙂
Good for you doing those challenges. I enjoyed your post about reading and how it enriches our lives in so many ways.
I must admit I don’t read as much as I used to before Internet and Facebook. I also tend to give up on books too easily if they bore me, the plot drags or is too predictable, or I don’t get attached to the characters.
I mostly enjoy romances, especially historical ones but I also like books where the character overcomes all kinds of adversity and triumphs.
I should branch out and try some new genres. Those lists have definitely got me thinking. Thanks for the nudge!
I know what you mean, Cathy. Internet and social media is a big distraction. Romances and Thrillers are my fav. Hope you get to explore a lot of different genres and hope you take these reading challenges too 🙂
These days I envy all those who are able to read books. It has been almost six months now that I’ve been able to pickpick up a book that I could focus on. I just simply drift away…which is not the case with reading blogs. About time, I gotta get myself checked!
I loved your reasons for reading and do relate to most of them. Good luck with the challenges 🙂
I guess this is a phase, which shall pass. Thanks and hope you get on a reading spree too 🙂
Yes, yes and yes…I agree to all the points…I have also taken part in a reading challenge this year…And I can’t wait to outdo myself…If I can I’ll spend every second of my life reading! sigh!
Good luck for your reading challenge, Nabanita! 🙂
Happy reading!
Very exhaustive list! I am sure you can easily read 100 books in a year, Shilpa.I also read classics these days.Reading books,which I read long back ,brings back the charm of those good old days.
Yes, I remember reading about Jane Eyre on your blog. There’s something beautiful about revisiting the books you have read long ago.
I think I’m already in that first challenge. And my penchant for reading challenges is calling my name.
I envy your reading spree. You read a lot, LuAnn! Simply great going 🙂
True… challenges enforce us to do beyond our calibre, all the good luck to you! In my case, procrastination overruled me, and I ended up writing just one post… once a month. Well, I hope people like you can be a motivation for us and make year 2015 worthwhile. Best wishes!
Thanks for your wishes, Sheela and hope you read and write more in 2015 too 🙂
I have read since I was four years old. I read for so many reasons, and I have a spare bedroom full of books. My son jokes that I have a better selection of books than the library book store. I feel I don’t need a reading challenge at this point in time – my challenge is not to drown in books!
Wow! You are super amazing, Alana! Simply speechless about the challenge you are facing! Awesome 🙂
I could so relate to your points 🙂 books tale me to a different world 🙂
Those reading challenges are tough… Specially the second one. I am trying to do the first challenge. There are so many books and so little time. Good luck
Good luck to you to, Raj for the reading challenge 🙂
I have committed to 40 books this year. That should be reasonable for me to get done. I am currently on a non-fiction fascination, but book club brings me back to fiction once a month.
All the best to you Sarah for your reading challenge. I am more of a fiction reader and less of non-fiction 🙂
Cant agree with you more.
To feel someone’s soul, someone who have long passed.
True that!
This is very interesting. I have started reading again – daily reading actually. I didn’t read as many books as I wanted last year. But this list is very interesting so I might just take it up as well 🙂
All the very best to you Maddie. Hope you achieve your reading goals 🙂
you have a long and interesting list.
I do spend reading books,but a different genre.
I have just finished a book on SONIA Gandhi.
Then it’s,Inside CBI,It’s Agniveer,It’s one from Shobha De…………..and all
From the books/subjects you mentioned, Shobha De is the one I’d probably read. That reminds me, it’s been long since I read any of her books. Must check her books again!
Wow! 71 books is such a great thing. Kudos to you and good luck with the 100 books challenge 🙂
Yes, as you mentioned reading does help us forget the troubles and moreover I love how you can travel to different worlds and experience different characters when you read a book 🙂
Thanks a lot, Ashwini! True, reading books is the best gift you can give to yourself! 🙂
I LOVE this!!! Thank you for sharing the reading challenges – they look fun! I am so impressed that you far exceeded your challenge from last year and are aiming even higher this year! Currently, I am listening the The One and Only by Emily Giffin (about to finish), just started The Fault in Our Stars and already loving it, and about to start Loving Yourself to Great Health by Louise Hay. I think you just inspired me to take on my own 2015 reading challenge 🙂 THANK YOU!!!
Wow! Gad that you are challenging yourself with these reading challenges, Annie. I am currently reading The Fault in Our Stars too! And I am liking it too 🙂 Happy reading in 2015 🙂
You have covered all the points beautifully on why we all love to read :). Love the fact that books can take us to place unseen and unheard off on a different journey altogether :D.
All the best to you for the reading challenges. Happy reading days in 2015 :D.
Thanks a lot, Aseem.
Right now I am reading Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice….I agree Shilpa, books can transport you to a totally different world and make you forget all worries….Same pinch for our love of books 😀
That’s cool. I must re-read P and P too 🙂 Thanks Jayashree. Happy reading to you too 🙂
71 books is very impressive, Shilpa! I love the second list..the first one seems to be too random!
Thanks Roshni. Agree, the second one is more specific and pushes you to read specific authors!
Your challenge is interesting! I like your unique choices.
Thank you Carol 🙂
a big bow to your physical book reading spirit, Shilpa! my mom is like you even now and i was like that till the internet era took over and these days most of my reading is on the flickering screen.
Story books have taken a back seat and i prefer reading indian authors and non-fiction books. My last read book was the classic “Little women”.
Aah! Internet is a big distraction. But cant do without it too 😀
I have been reading a lot of Indian authors too, but want to have a healthy mix of Indian and International authors this year 🙂