Easy ways to become a Bibliophile

Years ago, I was not profoundly engrossed with reading. I detested it a lot especially prints of small fonts. Mental diarrhoea, I call it. Long passages and literary works are my prime enemy. They make me puke.  This self-proclaimed diagnosis prompted me to create an excuse of not reading at all. Instead, I go to Youtube, grab graphic magazines, or watch movies to keep me lucid. For long I had convinced myself that I was exclusively a visual learner – deciphering and recollecting things by sight, and that I will never be a pundit in reading.

Momentarily it worked until I discovered my incompetence. I cannot write. I cannot put my thoughts into words. I cannot talk. I cannot convey my message. I was doomed! I got perturbed and so I started making a big leap. Reading is the only way, I extrapolated.

The hows:

1. Start now. Start with a book that pique your interest. A book that when you close your eyes, you can visualise the trend of the story. The very first novel I read was The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. A novel you cannot afford to put down even for commode moments. I finished this in one day.
2. When ready, read another genre. If you’ve vanquished reading a certain genre, perhaps it could be the right time to try another class or style. Try to go deeper. I began reading Religious, Management, Economics, Finance, Literature, Memoirs and Fashion books the moment I felt too comfortable with fictional novels. History, Architecture/Engineering and Cooking books could be later since I do not have the acuity for it yet.
3. Patience. It takes a bucketful of patience when you morph from novel to business readings. Business books have to be read ofttimes to get authors’ point.  Normally, I read it 2-3 times in order to get the gist of the piece.
4. Highlight. You may highlight words and phrases you do not understand. You can also check the meaning of strange words from Oxford Dictionary. For convenience you may download the app from Play Store or App Store.
5. Take note and apply. Regularly, take note of phrases which move or impact you. Then, apply what you’ve learned but never exaggerate it. Always stay in context.

The ramifications:

1. Makes you smarter. Reading books help you gain new knowledge and information you wouldn’t have known. It surges your deep understanding on myriad of topics or subject matters.
2. Fosters good health and improves your brain’s capacity. Reading keeps your brain cells alert preventing it from hibernating. It keeps memory and thinking skills unscathed. Research shows that reading can stave off Schizophrenia and Dementia in old age.
3. Improves imagination and takes you to places you’ve never been to. Fiction books take you anywhere and everywhere. It allows you to travel to another world and get a glimpse of people’s culture and beliefs.
4. Improves oral and written skills. Reading definitely widens your vocabulary and ameliorate your writing skills. You’d be startled how you can effortlessly put your words together, thus, improving your relationship whether at work, home or school.
5. A rock-bottom recreation and productive hobby. Books are affordable and are for keeps compared to movie tickets. Reading also makes use of your time well since it keeps you occupied and diverts you from tedium. At times when you read a certain book and watch its movie adaptation, you will discover that some parts are omitted or are never captured.

The list goes on and you will discover it once you start. I wish you well. Happy reading.