Why Reading Is Important?

If you ask me which was the last non-fluff book I read, I would have to scratch my head. I did read something called “Don’t ask an old bloke for directions” or something like that but it was so badly written that it barely counts.

There is a pile of unread books on my shelf – for the first time ever in my life. It includes Warren Buffett’s biography, 50 Years of Reporting on Asian Shores – a compilation of some awesome articles from reporters all over the world about Asia, Interpretation of Dreams (yeah, sue me!), Argumentative Indians by Amartya Sen and a few more. I don’t think I’ll ever get around to finishing these books.

Oh and there are also a few Robert Jordan books that I know I’ll never read.

I should probably not even be considering buying new books with these lying around, but I found a new reading list…

In an interview with Platform Magazine, Hari Kunzru picked a bunch of books as his recent favorites. Naturally, I googled all of them.

And only one book – 2666 by  Robert Bolano seemed to catch my attention. Maybe I do not have the intellectual capacity to read certain books but I absolutely abhor books about war and torture. Or even movies, for that matter, and I’m known to watch any kind of movie.

The magazine also listed a bunch of new books that we are ‘supposed to watch out for’. I am curious enough to probably browse those books when they are released. But I’ve found that it is rare that I agree with the reviews of the books on the Top 10 lists on the New York Times etc.

There was a time when I used to check the lists and go out to buy the books. But it was rare that I always picked up the top book. Some of the ones I did include Shantaram, To Kill A Mockingbird, Catcher in the Rye. But those are classics.

The rest? I don’t know, really.

I’ve been waiting to read Reading Lolita in Tehran. But that book requires more time and energy than I have to spare right now.

Is there a book any of you would recommend as a must read?