For Aakanksha, it wasn’t love at first sight!

The first book I ever read was Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne, in sixth standard. It was more out of compulsion than choice – it was a part of the curriculum! Actually, it was the author, who was a part of CBSE syllabus, and not the story in itself, so reluctantly, I had to pick up the book from library and give it a go. It was around 200 pages and it took me two weeks to get around the book. Well, needless to say, neither was I that interested nor did I find the book gripping enough to speed past through it. My position as a diehard non-reader further reinforced my belief that books just weren’t my cup of tea. For the next four years, I did not pick up a single book that wasn’t prescribed by the almighty CBSE.

After keeping a safe distance from books for a good four years, I became friends with a bookworm, one whose whole purpose was to motivate everyone to read. Eventually, I had to give in to her unyielding insistence and asked her to lend me a book to read – any book – just to make sure that I wasn’t on her propaganda list anymore. To her delight (and my absolute horror), she gave me All American Girl by Meg Cabot. I didn’t read the book for several days; it just kept occupying some space on my study table, almost to a point where I completely forgot about it. In the end, her constant reminders and general inquisitiveness with regards to my opinion of the book reminded me of the work I had in hand. My friend found out within seconds that I hadn’t read a single word. I had never felt half as guilty as I felt at that moment. My mind was made up and the agenda for the night was sorted – I was going to read. My four-year streak was about to end.

I ended up reading the whole book in a single night! Perhaps it was the way the protagonist in the book wore an all-black wardrobe that resonated with me, or the light, fun tone used throughout the novel. The book took me on an unprecedented journey, so much so that I felt addicted to its fast-paced narrative. And that was just the beginning! Books kept following and roping me in, and my friend was now more of my book dealer. At last – at long, long last – after reading The Princess Diaries, the Harry Potter series, Chetan Bhagat,  Paul Coelho, Dan Brown, I had finally became a bookaholic. Things became all the more serious when Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice came calling and I fell deeper into the enjoyable abyss of the fascinating world of books.

I believe that we all look for a temporary refuge from our hectic lives; a moment where our senses can go far away from the din of our apprehensions. Books give us that leeway. One need not be a hardcore reader, nor does one need a fine understanding of the classics. For me, books are nothing but an opportunity to look into the experiences and observations penned down by an author. While I cannot pinpoint why Meg Cabot fascinates me more than Jules Vernes, I guess it is all about how you relate to the plot or the ideas put forward by a given author. So, pick up a book that you have been shying away from and give it another go – it might change your perspective altogether! Like I said before, it does not have to be love at first sight. It wasn’t in my case.