I am not proud to note that it has been nearly 1.5 years since any of us contributed to this blog! Have we really not been reading at all? From what i see of Lydia and Sarah, they have literally walked out of the world of books and into the world of Youtube. I am a willing victim too, it is much more stimulating to receive the sounds, the visuals, and the wonder of internet surfing is truly tempting and alluring, hence our hiatus from our previous love affair with books.
It is not that i have not read at all for the past year and a half, and out of those few books i did read, there were some that were truly captivating, causing me to leave temporarily the virtual world and happily hold an actual book wherever i went. Books will always be my fall-back, on occasions when i felt fearful that my brain cells were dying due to Youtube overconsumption, I found myself back at the library, thankful that my library membership never expires and the library will never run dry.
Tonight, after reading this particular book "The Storied Life of A.J Fikry" by Gabrielle Zevin, I was unusually spurred on to turn on the computer, dig out the password to the bookblog and turn in my long-overdue entry!
I must admit that i was not really captivated by the book at the very beginning. I only borrowed 4 books this time round, read one (not bad) and decided that two of them were poor choices and i am left with only this one book. Unwilling to discard it immediately, i ploughed on, though the first chapter was quite boring, seemingly about a brusque encounter between a book seller and a bookstore owner. There was no distinct setting and i had no idea where the story started from! I actually dozed off at my first reading….(you must be wondering why this book is worth mentioning now as i can imagine your minds drifting away from this blog. But please bear with me.)
The bookstore owner, A.J subsequently lost an apparently vintage book, Tamerlane and the storyline spirals on thereafter. The fact that i have never heard of this book, left me thinking that this book is probably beyond me and it was only due to a lack of alternatives that i decided to give it another go, the morning after.
It seems that a great read, truly does deserve to be given a second look! Cause thereafter, the story took off - after the stolen book, an abandon baby, change in life goals, new friends, renewed ties with the lady bookseller, provided such an enthralling read that i could not put down the book and finished it at the end of the day! The plot centers around the bookstore owner, A.J and his bookstore, people who came and went, people who loved books and those who picked up the habit of reading, how he lived by principles of how to ascertain what constitutes a good book and what not.
Though the book is littered with many titles, none i can identify with, I do relate to the different characters in the book who have differing tastes to various book genres. Some like memoirs, some like Young Adults, others like action, romance, autobiographies, so on. It reminded me how wide and deep the literary world is, I am probably reading but a minute percentage of available books out there! I know that when i am choosing books to borrow, i do judge a book by its cover, its blurbs - some books' appeal jumps right at me, most i give them a miss. I wonder how many great reads i have missed out, how many more are out there! For the life of me, if you ever ask me what is my favorite book, i would not be able to quote a single book! I enjoy books while i am reading them, give them my full attention and then like a fluttery butterfly, move on to another book to devour, forgetting the one i just read. This bookblog actually does a vital job in recording the books that i actually felt stirred enough to pen down thoughts to, for which i am thankful for!
A.J's love for reading and books reminded me of my own love affair too. I have read, ever since i remembered, as a child, a teenager, a young adult, till now in my 40s. I am gratified that i live in Singapore where books are readily available, there will never be a shortage of books out there for any of us to lay our hands on. In the book, A.J felt threatened by the popularity of ebooks, but i think that the internet is a far bigger competitor with books for our time, attention and mindful involvement.
Though it is very enjoyable to watch a video and see and hear the world beyond my sphere of existence, the enjoyment of reading a book cannot yet be replaced. For there is seldom as much satisfaction in randomly choosing a book off a shelf, settling down to read as and where you are, admiring the wondrous power of words that describe, stir and evoke all sorts of emotions, and then finishing it, a sense of achievement and akin to ending a journey phase. For all these revelations, i am forever a book lover and lifelong reader, come what may. I wish that Lydia and Sarah will soon renew their love for books too. May this little entry encourage who reads this too. Grab a book today!
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