A contest
They competed with each other to show off who had read more books. I have 500 books, said one. I have 5000, said another. An entire library, said the third. Have you read Sartre? Marquez? Kafka? Hemingway? What about Baudelaire? Poetry, fiction, science, theology. They quoted from rare books, unheard-of works. It was an intellectual beauty parade. Much like how a lesser man (or woman) would have boasted lovers. The bookworms jostled for the best-read crown. To them it was more important to be seen reading. It didn’t matter what they had learned. Only what they had read.
learning is the most difficult act especially when everyone tries to be master not student....i like it.
ReplyDeleteSo true. I've been feeling the same recently about reading. Insightful piece.
ReplyDelete?? is this one of the uncharacteristic generalizations? Or am I wrong, is it not uncharacteristic? somewhere, a trend? but y?
ReplyDeletePeople who only expound on "intellectual" books immediately make me want to talk about Enid Blyton, Harry Potter and Archie comics - to name but a few of the things that I still love and enjoy! :)
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteWould you mind if I put a link to this on my blog? I enjoy it and I know a few people who would too.
Robert
Hey..gud post..
ReplyDeleteSomebody had said reading books is not that worth learning something practically,just because while reading we cant ask questions to anyone..our doubts remain unanswered...
So more than how many buks u read its wt u gained from reading tht matters...
Keep writing..
great twist in the end... quite true..:)
ReplyDeletehey ammani....unfair...u removed the QT53 b4 I read it !!!
ReplyDeleteplease pls pls put it back on !!
This reminds of an incident when someone said Gandhi spoke only the truth after seeing the play Harischandra and me asking - what happened to the person who played the part a zillion times.
ReplyDeleteHi Ammani,
ReplyDeleteYou generalize too much, I beleive ; even book worms read for the pleasure of it and not just to show off
Pardeshi
a very good thought... i agree that learning in more important than just reading
ReplyDeleteblogrolling filthy, funny, flawed, gorgeous
I polished off all your new posts and archives, and your quick tales are simply wonderful. They touch a heartstring, something inside the soul, they stop the tears, but still spread the sadness....Please get them published.
ReplyDelete