While the internet, Netflix and Amazon Prime are occupying a larger space in our modern daily lives, books will always be irreplaceable in the way they entertain and teach us new things to help us succeed in the world and in our relationships. They indeed have become a relief treatment to many furloughers in research of “intellectual food” during their isolation in the Covid-19 pandemic.
Human brains need to be active and books have a positive benefit for it. Books make our brain to be engaged with several functions such as phonemic awareness, visual and auditory processes, comprehension, fluency and more. Information gets inside and our brain processes it, imagines, solves problems etc. Scientists have discovered that the human brain has the capacity to retain 4.7 billion books.
A book has the power to change or reinforce how you feel about your surroundings. It is a therapeutic resource that can equip you with the tools you need to stay on track and maintain a good attitude. Whether you want to learn a new language or delve into the intrigues of nature, there is a book for every situation.
Based on how you are, who you are or how you feel, you will find a suitable book for your interests or needs. There is a wide classification for literature : fiction, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, biography, drama and nonfiction. There are many books available in the world, exactly 129,864,880. So, everyone should find its interest.
Many decades ago, Hitler and his regime burnt books viewed as being subversive or as representing ideologies opposed to Nazism. This represented a serious attempt to annihilate freedom of expression and cult in Nazi Germany. Today nobody can take books off from our hands. Books are a treasure that everyone should respect. The 2013 “Book Thief” movie directed by Brian Percival talks about it.
Now about me: I became an early reader who was able to devour books, one after one other. It all started when I was 4 years old. From fairytale stories to fantasy novels… I read them all. Then I went to the longer ones, more complex ones. When I received my first book as a present, I opened it straight away like a hungry kid receiving a yummy cake, thinking it was the best gift I could ever receive and I was immersed in the story right from the beginning and transported to another world. I didn’t close the book until I finished it, that was insane! I truly felt in love with “The NeverEnding Story”, written by Michael Ende. This amazing story marked my personality with its magic, fantasy, creativity, tenderness, meaning of friendship,… trust.
As reading is the perfect hobby for everyone, we should all find ways to integrate it to our lives and daily routines. Nowadays we easily find books online such as e-books available on Kindle but I would personally recommend the good old paperback or hardcover versions. Paper books are made of different materials and if you choose a quality one, you will be able to smell the pages, touch different textures and enjoy the wonderful colorful photographies or images you will find on them.
Why should you love reading?
Let’s find out why reading matters:
-It teaches you new things: with books and reading, you collect new information, you find out new ways to solve problems, you get new ideas, you learn new ways to achieve a goal.
-It stimulates your senses and promotes good mental health. It injects positive energy, through motivational literature for example.
-It improves yourself. You can expand your knowledge, you can learn good manners, you can learn how to develop a healthy lifestyle. You can learn a lot through books and give your life a real purpose.
-It builds up your vocabulary. Consistent exposure to new words, learning their meanings and seeing the context in which they are used will increase your mental dictionary. You will have a wider range of words that you can use in your conversations and in your writing.
-It improves your imagination. Books allow you to travel to other centuries, other countries, fantasy places, etc. Your creativity will be stimulated and you will be able to visualize sceneries you would not be able to imagine without the book.
-It reduces levels of stress and anxiety. There are studies that confirm that reading reduces stress and it’s more effective than other relaxation methods such as listening to music or drinking a warm cup of tea. Reading can even relax your body by lowering your heart rate and easing the tension in your muscles.
-It improves your memory. Reading has beneficial effects according to many medical studies. Reading creates new memories. Your brain forms new connections between neurons called synapses and strengthens existing ones. As you read you are memorizing and recalling words, ideas, names, relationships, and plots. You’re essentially training your brain to retain new information.
Why are books important to Society?
Literature is invaluable for Society. It makes us better civilians, better thinkers, more knowledgeable and tolerant individuals. Reading makes us more empathetic with other people, religions, culture and other styles of life.
Literature is good for societies and for people. Indeed, researchers have shown that book readers are better informed than other people who don’t read. The readers are more aware of the society problems, surroundings and can envisage themselves more easily in other people’s place.
Books such as “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe inspire us, motivate us, encourage us and help us find the bright path to our lives. It makes us understand that everything is possible in this world. It allows us to take action and uncover our true potential.
Some of the oldest books of the world
-The oldest book in the world is a several-page-long volume held by Bulgaria’s National Museum of History. The book consists of six pages of beaten 24-carat gold covered with Etruscan script. The book is estimated to be 2,500 years old.
-The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest known piece of literature in the world. Written in 2100 BC.
-A Buddhist holy text. The Diamond Sutra is considered to be the oldest surviving dated printed book in the world. The book is made up of Chinese characters printed on a scroll of grey printed paper, wrapped along a wooden pole. Its estimated age is 1,145 years old.
-The Gutenberg Bible is listed by the Guinness Book of World records as the world’s oldest mechanically printed book. The first copies were printed in 1454 AD.
Some famous books quotes
“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
― Marcus Tullius Cicero
“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
“I cannot live without books.”
― Thomas Jefferson
In case you are a writer, I suggest you to translate your books in other languages. There are 7,000 languages approximately in the world and the Ya-Hub Translations team translates into 130 world languages, many options to choose for your masterpiece.
In the name of the Ya-Hub team, I encourage you to read an interesting book that motivates you, entertains you, that teaches you something good and that encourages you to choose the right path in your life. Wake up your brain and start exercising it. Better late than never, this will be a new healthy hobby and I promise you won’t regret it! For the ones who already read books, congratulations!!
A person who is well-read has immense knowledge and unique thoughts. Books act as a ladder for you to walk up the ladder of growth and success. Best Wishes on World Book Day to everyone!!