“Reading is a means of thinking with another person’s mind; it forces you to stretch your own”
-Charles Scribner
I have a friend. His name is Michael. He speaks through the books he has read. Every now and then, he quotes writers. He quotes Kipling, Sylvia Plath, Coelho, et al. The first time I had a conversation with him, he made me doubt my proficiency as a writer. How do I claim to play football if I do not even watch the game? Do not get me wrong, I read. However, a pile of uncompleted books with bookmarks somewhere on mid page lay on the table in the house. My reading mojo is slowly dying and is being replaced by a ravenous desire for shortstories from just one Author, Margeret Atwood. My memory span is slowly being trained by blogposts to last as long as the existence of a mosquito on a wall, one swat away from death.
Let them say what they may, let them hide banknotes on books and claim that we can never find them, but I realise that a good population is still holding on to the tradition of reading. Whether reading them on ‘e’ or on paper for those who like the smell of yellowed paper as the eyes feed on words, still, someone is reading.
Wamathai did a survey last week on facebook and twitter, asking people what they were reading. I must say that after the response, I felt the need to hide my face behind a shroud after the discovery that I am part of the children left behind, or slowly being. Why are we saying that people are not reading? Reading books is apparently, the cool thing in town. Tech-savvy and book-savvy are the things. In fact, being savvy is the thing.
Unfortunately, in between coming up with seemingly witty tweets and enjoying those of others, we get lost and the little playtime we have to spare for a page or two is dissolved in the timeline. I might be pointing an accusing finger, but in a way I do believe that social media has done major cockblocking on reading. Even the internet reads on our timelines, we are becoming sluggish on clicking and reading. I am sure that not all of us read all the blogposts we are tagged in, no matter how well written they are. We are too busy on our TLs that we have forgotten other hobbies. Movies are becoming a little difficult to follow because a glance into the timeline every five minutes is the lifesaver that holds us between the edge and death. Maybe this works for me, maybe my scrutiny is a little implausible, maybe you are with me here.
I have managed to bring the little monster reader in me back to life. When I want to read, I switch off from the social networks, and burry myself into the book. I dissolve my mind into the story and the memory of twicca or tweetdeck is a dying echo in the distance, sometimes completely inaudible. However, I do understand that for some of us, the 140-character tweet, or a facebook update is a good read enough. We are too busy to sit and flip from 2 to 345 of pages. Old habits however die hard. We are the same people who found the afro hairstyle uncivilised and still went back to it at the heart of 2st century civilisation. We ‘uncivilise’ with time. This excitement dies. The adrenaline rush from the red notification of a DM on twitter washes off. However, books are indispensable! Whichever way we go, we shall still return to that which moulded us.
In the same spirit of reading books, Michael Onsando reviews books on this site every Thursday. If you are like me and you want to resurrect that girl/boy who used to read books under the desk during Mathematics or Geography lessons because the mojo was insatiable and edgy, how about we talk about books. What are we reading? How do we like it? Where do we get these books? Don’t you ever wish you could pass by a library and borrow a book rather than rush into the DVD centre and buy that pirated copy of Game of Thrones? I wish. I do wish for that. But my legs fail me. They always do. And the books published aren’t what I love reading. And it is easier to watch a movie. And twitter is too addictive. I have excuses! And other excuses.
A chest, an eye or a casket for the books? Which one shall we go by?
© Jacque Ndinda | blog | Twitter|
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17 Comments
Buggz79
Hey Ndinda!
I do struggle with scheduling time for a good book…until I discovered mobile compatible formats that work on my phone (Mobipocket Reader). I’ve amassed about 1000 books or so that i can now carry with me on the go…my by library is right alongside the key distraction. And a good book actually beats out twitter and Facebook in terms of attention.
In the physical world, the book vendors who sell fantastic hardcover books for 100/= on the streets are the people to beat. You never know what you’ll find…its like an adventure every time I pass through em. Plus they have affordable options for my girls too.
Thanks for the heads up on the books review. I’ll look those up.
5 Jul
Edwin
Most of my reading, which is not much is done on the internet–blogs, news-sites, etc. I should definitely read more, when I find the time.
5 Jul
EdGicovi
Man I totally feel you. I love to read but I’ve slackened. This whole year I’ve read two halves from two books. One is a murder mystery and I still have no idea who the murderer is, sigh. I’m lost in the movie/series/Twitter/blog culture and desperately trying to resurrect my love for reading. Try the chapter or two a day approach and you’ll find you can finish a book in a week or two, if it works for you. Great post
5 Jul
EdGicovi
Oh and I’m with Buggz on the 100 bob paperbacks on the streets. I have found many an interesting novel, some classics, on the streets. Some of these people have no idea what they’re selling. Sometimes I feel like asking, “You’re selling this for 100 bob?? Only??”
5 Jul
gitts
Enyewe I feel like social media has turned me into a blonde! hardly browse the sites I used to expand my knowledge on teh and current affairs etc nowadays it’s fb and twitter permanently open. Never been much of a book reader but used to go through all kinds of written word esp magazines and stuff. of late I’ve been trying to get a reading habit going, imagine I read my first Grisham this yeah, courtesy of the street vendors though I was played, got it for 250, now going through some short stories by steven King. If my writing is to get any better have to read more
5 Jul
Sony K Imani
I read. Everything. I started reading labels on bottles and foodstuffs and meat-wrapped newspapers and moved on to novels. I read under the desk when th eteacher was in class and I read during assembly. I have nothing against eBooks but I love my traditional paperbound books. I read on the bus, at the stage,in the restaurant. I read when waiting for food to cook on my stove and I have burnt afew meals. I buy books at fleamarkets, at the bookshops and at sales/exhibitions. I have an addiction and its unquenchable and its books. I beg boyfriends not to buy me flowers but to get a book instead. Thank God there’s no AA for books. Because I don’t wanna be cured of it. Ever.
5 Jul
Chero
I’m on my 14th book this year, 8 online and 6 hard covered. I’ve done a quick count immediately after reading this article, and it was after putting it down shortly to check on my fb that i bumped into this article. I must say, it has been a very good year so far, in terms of reading. Its definitely a big plus for me as well. I enjoy reading, making it possible to live anywhere in the world, including the most remote of areas, because with 26 letters of the alphabet put down in different ways, i’ve been all over the world (currently i’m between London and Sydney) I don’t do it because its the savvy thing to do, because it will very quickly go out of fashion, and if so, i’ve been savvy since before i knew what savvy meant. Talk about being ahead of time. Its very easy to put a book down to do other things, and walking around with a book in the bag till it develops dog ears is a disgrace to the person who sat for hours and days writing and rewriting and scraping off full chapters just to come up with several pages of content. (i’ve spent time with a writer, and its not as easy to write as to read) But to fully commit to this, i always advice on giving yourself some regular time specifically for reading. I usually read before i sleep, which has ceased being a rule, but a lifestyle, that i look forward to every evening. It might be difficult in the future as i will definitely have other commitments, but i’ll have to make alternative arrangements. Its something i love doing, so i will make time for it, because what is life without something to look forward to?
5 Jul
Pete R Njenga
Like Sony above, I read all the time. No specific preferences, I read anything & everything… even read Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf a while back
My best reading happens early in the morn – between 5am and 6.30am.
It seems social networks, and especially Twitter, killed the blog. Gone are the days when I’d take time in a cyber [2006/7] to read awesome and REGULAR blog posts by Milonare, Klara, Mocha, Kenyanpundit, Afromusing, Roomthinker, Intelligensia, Jamaa Poa, Ngishili, Farmgal, Darius Stone, SupremeGreamhouze, Sis big Bones, Our Kid, Bomseh et al.
When it comes to books, I prefer eBooks and already have a very impressive collection of all manner of books… Acquired back in 2005 when I was in campus [blame the Hall 6 Network Neighborhood]. I have lately started writing about books, both what I write and what I read.
We need to get back to the basics about reading. Especially those among us who also write. Stephen King will openly tell you that you have to read much, much more than you write.
That’s the bottom-line, because Stephen King, not Steve Austin, said so!
5 Jul
Warhia
Hmm… My reading too has slowed down to a prayer item.. I have only read like 7 books since the year started (whereas I’d read a minimum of 3 to 5 in a month)..
Meanwhile, this be some hefty food for thought.
5 Jul
Nyambura
I loooooove reading books…be it in a mat, at home, at the salon or during lunch break. I just can’t get enough of it…the crazy bit is, my being a tv junkie has actually made me discover more books (by the time you reach the season finale of game of thrones, you’ll be hunting for the book series the show is based on. Trust me)…
And the street book sellers will always surprise you with priceless gems that aren’t even stocked at the major book stores…
5 Jul
Kenyan Hasibu Jobs
am a fan of books too but of late I have not been practising a good reading culture
6 Jul
Woozie_M
I will start my comment as many people up there have. I love books. I am absolutely in love with the whole concept of books. The smell of a new page makes me giddy with joy. That being said, I need to read more. Sometimes I wish I could just have days off to read and read and read and read ad infinitum but I can’t. Great post Jacque. We ALL definitely need to read more.
6 Jul
Joliea
WOW! Just read Chero’s and Peter’s responses and I’m so super jealous. Like many a twiterrati, I blog, I read blogs, mkz and tweet. Thats about as much reading as I do. I swear even reading newspaper articles is a bother. Furthermore, reading long articles, be it online or otherwise, tires me. I do not know why. However, I am indeed improving my reading skills and trying to concentrate better especially now that am considering going back to school!
Good stuff
8 Jul
ndinda
Thank you all for reading and for the feedback on what you read and how you make it happen. If we could help each other on this, like start a book club and not just for a name, but for the purpose of helping each other keep the passion for words in flames…. I have friends with whom I exchange books . A book for a book. Maybe it cannot work when many people are involved, but it sure is a start. I always envy people who instead of tweeting in the mat, open a page and read in traffic. I am slowly becoming one of those and I must say it is a good place. It always feels like I am slowly returning home
Again, Thank you
13 Jul
melissa de blok
Like Sony, I started out reading labels and food packets. I still do so.
Like most of you, however, life seems to have stuck its greedy hands in my schedule and selfishly taken out all my free time.
I just had 4 wall-unit bookcases built due to my large amount of books – yet I’ve probably only read less than half of the books that’ll fill the shelves.
This is a problem.
I’m going to try to make some sort of readin schedule, because as someone else said, I feel like a dumb blonde nowadays.
Great read by the way. Enjoyed the post
1 Oct
Lynne
I looooove reading too but of late my habits have changed with the advent of twitter….but i am really thinking about my reading habits and hoping to go back to my reading…this is a wake up call
18 Oct
ɐʌoʍl snɥdlop∀
Good stuff I lost my reading mojo to twitter/facebook some time last year …beginning of this year it was back but the problem around is finding the latest and new reads in our stores ,I resolved to printing e-book but the financial implication mambo mbaya -> then installation of mobi-pocket reader on my laptop and epub reader on my browser but the glare was about mess up my eyes finally I acquired a Kindle the experience is good i have 70 books to devour guys try it out here is where i get some of my book summaries http://actionablebooks.com/ and download what interests me ….
17 Nov
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