Now that mobile phones have become a virtual extension of the arm and a constant companion for a great deal of the population, books as best friends have fallen out of favour. We now do a lot of our reading on our handheld and desktop devices. And yet, for some of us, the look, feel and smell of a book is irreplaceable. The book is still the best bulwark against boredom and one is never really alone with a book by one's side. Here is why the book is still best friend to so many of us:
There is no need to charge a book, you don’t need to be tech savvy to read a book. There is no need for an internet connection and no need to download a book. You simply open a book and you start reading!
While some of us cannot abide eBooks, some of us like the convenience of having instant access to hundreds of books in one small, slim gadget. Whichever be your choice, reading is vital to knowing more about people, places, concepts and ideas. It helps us travel without budging from our chairs and widens our minds like nothing else can.
While friends may have disagreements with us and family members could move away from us, books remain loyal and constant.
Research tells us that reading not only makes us better informed, it also gives us greater insight into people, cultures, behaviours and customs. It makes us more empathetic to others. It keeps the brain active and engaged; thereby keeping us alert and mentally healthy. It can also have a positive impact on physical health.
Reading can be such a pleasure that it can wean us off gadgets and electronics; the negative impacts of which we don’t fully understand yet.
Books were immersive before VR created immersive experiences. One can just sink into a good book. It opens up a whole new world of fascinating locales, complex characters and unforgettable stories. Books open up an inner world of imagination for the reader to disappear into.
The movie was better than the book, said no one ever! Reading the book lets you create your own inner universe peopled with characters and places that look and sound the way you want them to. A movie is someone else's reality overlying the book. Details and nuance are always lost in the movie.
Children who have the habit of reading are rarely lonely. Books keep them away from gadgets and out of mischief!
…As too many books! Books are comforting, books are friends. No reading is futile. Reading always tells you about something new: people, food, places, new words or different points of view.
Some time back there was a social media trend that featured good-looking men reading in public: in the subway, on buses, on park benches, at the station. The Instagram handle HotDudesReading has a staggering one million followers! So clearly, reading is still cool!
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