Becoming a reader... ANSWERING
TO A READING QUESTIONNAIRE
When
I was a child I used to read comics, and my favorite was Mort &
Phil, which I enjoyed very much (it's English title: Clever and
Smart). This comic series was written and drawn by Francisco
Ibañez. It features the adventures of two secret agents, who
constantly suffer mishaps, such as falls from heights, explosions, or
being crushed by all kinds of heavy objects (pianos, safes,
wardrobes, etc...), usually without the consequences lasting more
than one panel.
Nevertheless,
the first really meaningful book to me was Sinuhe the Egyptian.
It really made an impression on me. I would go so far as to say
I have acquired a taste for reading thanks to this book. I read it
when I was 19, and it opened up my mind to a brand new world. It is a
historical fiction novel written by Mika Waltari. The story consists
of the biography of Sinuhe, a fictional character, based on a real
person in the time of ancient Egypt. In the book, Sinuhe describes
his entire life throughout the reign of six pharaohs. In addition,
part of the plot is a moving romance between Sinuhe and Nefertiti.
After
that, I started reading mainly historic novels and best sellers from
authors such as Christian Jacq, Dan Brown, Ken Follet, Noah Gordon,
or Katherine Neville, to name but a few. But, I also have enjoyed
other genres, such as autobiographies, science-fiction books,
classics, or thought-provoking novels. Moreover,
I have to confess that I also like reading “self-help books”, and
I have read plenty of them. I have read a lot about spirituality,
religion, meditation, neuro-linguistic programming, psychology,
conspiracy, ufology, mindfulness, Gestalt therapy, transpersonal
psychology, Advaita, etc…
As
far as language is concerned, I am used to reading English books, and
I always try to read in English whenever I can. Furthermore, nowadays
it is very easy to buy English written books online. At the moment, I
am reading a book titled “How to understand the mind”,
written by a Buddhist monk named Kelsang Gyatso.
As
for my favorite place to read, I usually read at home, on the couch,
and preferably alone. On the other hand, I usually read while
travelling, or waiting, for instance at the doctor’s consultation. By
the way, I have the habit to write down in the margins of books. I
like writing if I come up with an idea, or if I want to develop
something I have learnt. Into the bargain, I like highlighting some
phrases that I find valuable or rewarding.
In
the end, I would like to tell you, that I like recommending books I
have enjoyed, and even sometimes I fancy giving them away to the
people I love, basically, because “a book is a gift you can open
again and again”.
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