Books

I am hopeless when it comes to books, especially fictions. I dread going into book fair because I practically want to buy most of them, especially when they sell at such a cheap price. I will simply feel like whacking all the books back, discounting the fact that they will most likely sit on my book shelf, untouched, probably for the next 1 to 2 years time.

Now I know how those crazy shoppers can still manage to buy clothes, shoes and accessories when they already have tonnes of those, untouched at home. But come on, is it true that only girls will be attracted to cheap price for quality items? My guess is, it's human nature though some can tolerate the temptations better than others.

When I come across an interesting book, I will be totally lost in my own world. Days turn into nights within split seconds and I will be fully engrossed in my fictional world, absorbing the characters and plots into my thoughts. I let my imaginations run wild while reading, not that I have much creativity anyway. And thankfully, I manage to brush up on my English through reading.

But hey, who on earth gets the privilege to spend such a quality time with the books, without distraction nowadays? I guess only kids, students or retirees does that now. Young working adults hardly read books, as they turn to the Internet while working moms and dads got to commit themselves to work and family.

I remembered the times when Internet was not so widely available where we spend our time more meaningfully, interacting with others face-to-face during outdoor activities or even spending time doing some reading. During my primary education years, I remembered being eager to visit the library or to borrow books from friends as books are quite pricey to me back then.

Hardy Boys, Enid Blyton's, R.L.Stine, Sweet Valley.... Malay, English.... you name it, not forgetting comics! If I can borrow, I will. Such was my fascination for books, because there wasn't much to do back when I was younger then since I was in my uncle's place while my siblings were with my grandparents. It is only during weekends that we meet up and played and fought with each other, since we studied in different school.

My only regret was that I can't really read well in Mandarin. Mandarin newspapers provide a lot of interesting article for you to ponder. And I still remember the jealousy I felt when my siblings or other Chinese-educated friend talk about Chinese histories and legends. Well, you always get something when you lose something. I may not read well in Mandarin but at least I get to mingle with other races and knew their culture more than my Chinese-educated peers, so not all is lost.

The other day I came across a quote which advocates borrowing books rather than buying them. Reason? To go green by discouraging more paper printing. Well, there is always the e-book version thingy. But if you ask me, I still prefer the paper book version since I can read and flip it in any way I want. I can put it anywhere I want, and I can read, sit, lie or even squat while reading it.

When you borrow from friends or library, you are actually sharing it with the rest, fully utilising the books. And there are due dates to dictate the latest date you should return the books so that others can benefit from it too, hence forcing you to finish the books within the stipulated time. In a way, it actually speeds up your reading.

However, this is not too practical if you don't really have much time to read, like me. Some books may sit in my shelf for more than a year, still waiting for me to flip them open. And when I own books, I can still lend them to my friends, though the chances are slim as I don't have a big pool of book lover friends. So yes, I agree when they say that you fully utilise the book when you share it around, especially when you borrow from the library.

As always, there are pros and cons. Just decide which one you favour more... No matter what, book will always be my greatest teacher and the best thing is, this teacher won't nag or scold me!