This morning, my housemate asked me to accompany him to the bank to ask for a loan. As I have nothing to do at home, I obliged and took a book with me (David Eddings' The Tamuli Trilogy, all 485 pages), knowing that I'll get bored waiting for him at the bank. I didn't want to use my iPad @ Paddington because... some might say it would be SO pretentious :P And I just got it, didn't wish it to get stolen yet...
So he parked his car a few hundreds meter from the bank and we continued on foot. As we were crossing the road, something hit me... Here am I, walking to the bank holding something that I've never seen anyone carrying in public, ever! Not this town, this district, even the big city. A story book!
This made me laugh out hard, in the middle of the busy road. (Yes, I do that sometimes, suddenly laughing at hidden jokes)
My housemate asked me why and I told him. He had no comment on this.
I love books. And I envied those of you who lived near good bookstores and huge public libraries. I'd hate you even more if you got SO MUCH money to buy every book you desire.
Books (that I want) are quite expensive here.... Cheap local books, mainly with tales of love and crappy matters are of no interest to me. Well, one man's poison might be another's bread eh?
I've seen people who read EVERYWHERE on tv, at the bus stand, waiting for their turn at the bank, picnic etc. A culture which reads is a great culture.
The first verse in the Holy Quran ever dispatched by Gabriel to the Prophet begin as thus; "Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created all that exists." This shows that even God has a very high opinion to the culture of reading...
Ah, this is me rambling again.... Maybe the book owners of Malaysia read their books exclusively INDOORS, in the private safety of home or whatever. ebooks are not really popular here because they are so hard to get for the less computer savvy people.
Out of 10 youngsters here, 4-5 would have mobile phones in their hands... The age of MTV had killed radio stars. Cell phones had replaced books for the role of mobile amusement.
What a world we live in...
Ramblings by
10 comments:
I love to read, but have little time to just sit and read. Therefore I read whenever I get the chance - in the bath, on the toilet and, most unusually, while walking to the shops (if alone). People expect me to walk into things, but I don't as I glance up from time to time.
Any partricular books you are looking for?
RC; Oh my, a kindred spirit! I also used to read when walking! The journey to my campus took half an hour, and usually on the way back, I walked reading. Never got hit by a car though ;)
I just read fantasy books nowadays. A very big fan of Terry Pratchett, got most of his books, and they were hard to come by.
Good for you for taking the book and being prepared to read if you had to wait. I have a book with me all the time, don't need the magazines in all the waiting rooms about celebrities that I care nothing about.
Cici; Ah, we share the same sentiment about those entertainment magazines and their crappy content. I always remind my students that there is no knowledge whatsoever in those type of magazines.
I don't read as much as I used to, but there's nothing like a "real" book. A book that you can read, savor and hold onto to reread later, or even share with a friend.
Ms. A; That's so true. But when I got my iPad, ebooks become an attraction because some of them are free.
I prefer my books thick and with small type - so I can savour them longer! ;)
I am currently reading Terry Pratchett's latest, Snuff. Really enjoying it as always.
RC; hurm.... And it may take a couple of months before I can see that book here ;p
*comel*
I experience the only one in town feeling when I'm reading through bulky novels during my bus journeys. WHILE munching on peanuts :D
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