Pleasure reading for beginners
IOFTEN wonder whether one can consider themselves an expert when it comes to reading. Not all readers are the same, but I suppose like all hobbies one can reach a certain level of proficiency. I consider myself quite proficient when it comes to reading. I like to read and I find it simple to do. What interests me though is whether one’s reading culture comes naturally or it is something that is nurtured.
I grew up in a home full of books, for my fifth birthday I was gifted the Complete Works of William Shakespeare so I would say it was inevitable that I would end up like this. But I have come across others raised in a similar setting who are not keen readers. So which is it? Nature or nurture? It’s likely a combination of both, there must be some interest in books to make one a reader. Following from that one can build a reading culture and make a habit out of it.
A friend of mine asked me to recommend a book for her to read as a beginner (by beginner I assumed she meant pleasure reader). To her it might seem like a simple question to ask someone who reads a lot, but it is quite the opposite, I mean where do I begin?
When I was a lot younger my reading comprised of Goosebumps, Animorphs, Terry Pratchet, Artemis Fowl with the occasional abridged version of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and Oliver Twist.
Gradually while in high school I moved on to unabridged versions of classic literature, George Orwell, Jane Austen, William Shakespeare, Chinua Achebe and everything else that was on the prescribed list.
So when someone asks what they can read as a beginner it’s a difficult question to answer because what I read at five or 15-years-old is different from what I read today. What do I prescribe?
I can’t say for certain that xyz books are the best for those who wish to become pleasure readers, but there are a few tips I can give that make reading, pleasure reading easy and fun for me.
◆ You must want to do it. You’re not going to get through any form of reading if you first of all don’t want to read.
◆ Read something that interests you. It takes me the longest time to get through self-help books because I just can’t stand them. I never finished The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People for example. If you like a particular genre of movies or series say Vampires, find books about those topics. Some people love reading about world war history, but would never pick up a Harry Potter book. Find what suits your specific taste!
◆ Set time aside to read. I like to read when I am on the road. In the mornings and evenings on the way to and from work is the best time. Or when travelling long distances. I also do a bit of reading just before bed.
◆ The book is always better than the movie. If there’s a particular movie you’d like to watch and it is based on a book. Read the book first.
◆ Read books that you can relate to. Of late African literature occupies the bulk of my reading list. The main reason is because they are books about things that I can easily identify with, places that are familiar to me, things that I have experienced. It makes the reading experience much more interesting.
Books make great companions and assist in broadening one’s knowledge and imagination. Reading for pleasure is a perfect and moderately inexpensive pastime. It certainly is a habit worth investing in and one that can be nurtured with relative ease.