How I fell in love with Novels
Novels were the obscure part of my life until I was in my eleventh
grade. Before that, all space of my thought revolved around the books
prescribed to complete my study. There was only a tiny element of literature I
was growing up with and that was through the English books. That tiny element
of literature in no particular way, at those times fascinated me. I just read
it without a fair imagination it should have (as I read through those old texts
of literature today, they still present me a wonderful beauty of words) in
those days. I, like any common folks, did the so called "right thing"
in those days, we just needed to pass the exams and we did it fairly without
comprehending the richness of words portrayed in those tiny sheets of paper.
Our English teacher, to my present-day imagination, could not indulge or
motivate me. Or Perhaps, he was a good motivator, I had no alacrity for it. Or,
perhaps my mind was not ready for the true substance of the words. Or, perhaps
the intimate circle of my friends never got inclined to it, so was me (though
they too have faced some missing elements at those times because most of them
today are enthusiastic readers). Or, perhaps I could wonder to those days and
never figure out the reason and keep wondering because today, my mind is
judgmental to the fact that literature is awesome and I am not being able to
think from a perspective of a neutral(or maybe not concerned) reader, who
studied essentially, for the exams. I could co-relate many perhaps but every
perhaps, is still, a maybe. There is no definitive reason or I could
objectively say for sure.
I grew among the readers in my family. Amidst the readers, I chose not to be influenced by them until the first year of my high school. My father was politically inclined and he had a passion for reading books. He would be seen reading books and newspapers, mostly. He had a cupboard full of books and novels, and I had so much ignorance those days I didn't step to even look for the books. Back when my ignorance ceased, I, when looked the Cupboard, I could see the books concerning the political landscape like The Communist Manifesto, 1984, Republic by Plato, etc. The history books regarding Nepal, Indian, European and West also present. Various novels of English and Nepalese genres resided too. There were even newspapers and magazines laid out in the cupboard too. Similarly, one of my uncles and my elder brother, both were into learning and reading platform. Both of them were journalists (brother is still a journalist; uncle has left journalism but still reads a lot) in The Kantipur Publications. Both brought new and new books, and kept reading. The daily newspapers like Kantipur, The Kathmandu Post and Nepal magazine would be always available at my house but I never kept an eye on it. Basically, I was unaware of the reading and learning spectrum despite the most favorable environment for it around me.
But that situation was about to change in my first year of high school. Our English teacher, from the first class, introduced us to the world of literature with fascinating stories, histories and the depth of meanings in that literary world. She had such a charismatic nature, and her view of the literature, its conveyance to us was so involving that we almost all would wait for the English period to arrive in college days. She would normally deviate from the original text to other topics that were too interesting. She would reflect upon us the life of the writers, the circumstances of the writings, the hidden meanings and would allow us to interpret texts from our viewpoint. She, in all ways, made everyone to actively involved in every aspect of the learning process. We all were slowing falling for the beauty in words in writings through her effort. Another life changing moment came when she executed a segment called "A BOOK REVIEW". According to this, everybody should read a book (fiction or nonfiction) which can be bought or be taken from library, and stand in front of the class and give a review on it. This was one of the moments when I first came across self-learning and analyzing. This was also the moment I first, myself, intentionally picked a novel out of my own hands, and started reading and engaging, for I had to review it.
The first novel I read was "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini, I was so captured and intrigued by it that I immediately picked up the other book by the same writer when I completed the former one. My love for novels began from that very moment. Next book I picked up was "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by the same writer. It was splendid as it sounded and it further motivated me to read more novels. Then came the time for Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist". And there was no returning back from literary world after that I had developed a great sense of appreciation for the novels at this point now. Not only me, many friends in my circle developed a proclivity for literature. We used to have discussion and talks on the books we read, its reviews and its analysis from our depths we could fathom within us. "THE BOOK REVIEW" segment in our class went for two years and I read many books from Ernest Hemingway, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Fyodor Dostoevsky, George Orwell, Haruki Murakami, Harper Lee, Jane Austen, etc. after that. Some of my favorite novels includes The Old Man and the sea, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Crime and Punishment, To kill a Mockingbird, Pride and Prejudice, etc. In 12th standard, Nepali was taught, so, that moment uplifted to trace the Nepalese literature. The Nepali teachers were also so good, they indulge me in Nepali literature too. "Palpasa Café" by Narayan Wagle was the first nepali novel that I happen to read from my father's cupboard. The cupboard at this point of time made a different sense to me. The cupboard was now a collection of things I have started to adore. "Palpasa Cafe" made me look further nepali novels and in the coming years, I read quite lot of Nepalese novels too.
The process of learning has been now an important part of my life. The novels had taught me tons of things and transformed me through it. Without it, I would always have a lot less in me than today. So, I am grateful to this art of literature and those events in my life which paved my way towards this art. The moment "I FELL IN LOVE WITH NOVEL" was truly the most remarkable and turning period of my life.
I grew among the readers in my family. Amidst the readers, I chose not to be influenced by them until the first year of my high school. My father was politically inclined and he had a passion for reading books. He would be seen reading books and newspapers, mostly. He had a cupboard full of books and novels, and I had so much ignorance those days I didn't step to even look for the books. Back when my ignorance ceased, I, when looked the Cupboard, I could see the books concerning the political landscape like The Communist Manifesto, 1984, Republic by Plato, etc. The history books regarding Nepal, Indian, European and West also present. Various novels of English and Nepalese genres resided too. There were even newspapers and magazines laid out in the cupboard too. Similarly, one of my uncles and my elder brother, both were into learning and reading platform. Both of them were journalists (brother is still a journalist; uncle has left journalism but still reads a lot) in The Kantipur Publications. Both brought new and new books, and kept reading. The daily newspapers like Kantipur, The Kathmandu Post and Nepal magazine would be always available at my house but I never kept an eye on it. Basically, I was unaware of the reading and learning spectrum despite the most favorable environment for it around me.
But that situation was about to change in my first year of high school. Our English teacher, from the first class, introduced us to the world of literature with fascinating stories, histories and the depth of meanings in that literary world. She had such a charismatic nature, and her view of the literature, its conveyance to us was so involving that we almost all would wait for the English period to arrive in college days. She would normally deviate from the original text to other topics that were too interesting. She would reflect upon us the life of the writers, the circumstances of the writings, the hidden meanings and would allow us to interpret texts from our viewpoint. She, in all ways, made everyone to actively involved in every aspect of the learning process. We all were slowing falling for the beauty in words in writings through her effort. Another life changing moment came when she executed a segment called "A BOOK REVIEW". According to this, everybody should read a book (fiction or nonfiction) which can be bought or be taken from library, and stand in front of the class and give a review on it. This was one of the moments when I first came across self-learning and analyzing. This was also the moment I first, myself, intentionally picked a novel out of my own hands, and started reading and engaging, for I had to review it.
The first novel I read was "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini, I was so captured and intrigued by it that I immediately picked up the other book by the same writer when I completed the former one. My love for novels began from that very moment. Next book I picked up was "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by the same writer. It was splendid as it sounded and it further motivated me to read more novels. Then came the time for Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist". And there was no returning back from literary world after that I had developed a great sense of appreciation for the novels at this point now. Not only me, many friends in my circle developed a proclivity for literature. We used to have discussion and talks on the books we read, its reviews and its analysis from our depths we could fathom within us. "THE BOOK REVIEW" segment in our class went for two years and I read many books from Ernest Hemingway, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Fyodor Dostoevsky, George Orwell, Haruki Murakami, Harper Lee, Jane Austen, etc. after that. Some of my favorite novels includes The Old Man and the sea, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Crime and Punishment, To kill a Mockingbird, Pride and Prejudice, etc. In 12th standard, Nepali was taught, so, that moment uplifted to trace the Nepalese literature. The Nepali teachers were also so good, they indulge me in Nepali literature too. "Palpasa Café" by Narayan Wagle was the first nepali novel that I happen to read from my father's cupboard. The cupboard at this point of time made a different sense to me. The cupboard was now a collection of things I have started to adore. "Palpasa Cafe" made me look further nepali novels and in the coming years, I read quite lot of Nepalese novels too.
The process of learning has been now an important part of my life. The novels had taught me tons of things and transformed me through it. Without it, I would always have a lot less in me than today. So, I am grateful to this art of literature and those events in my life which paved my way towards this art. The moment "I FELL IN LOVE WITH NOVEL" was truly the most remarkable and turning period of my life.
Author Tim
Nice one tim
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing this. I never had people around me who encouraged me to read novels. It was either about studies or some form on activity. I used to read short stories and comics as a kid.But the first giant book I ever read was Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' at the age of 15 and then read a lot of novels during my high school and college years. Am a fan of Paulo Coelho books. I also went on to do double masters in English Literature just because I could get to read literature books and that was the only reason. :)
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