PLEASURE OF READING

It is said that books are the best friends of a man. In this context, books include all reading material, viz., magazines, periodicals, newspapers, and, fiction and non-fiction books. According to Ruskin, books can be divided into two types—‘Books of the Hour’ and ‘Books of All times’. His classification of books is based on the nature of pleasure they provide. The books that give us temporary pleasure are categorized as books of the hour. Short stories, travel accounts, novels and literary compositions are books of the hour. On the other hand, books of all times are those that appeal to our soul and leave an everlasting impression on our minds. Such books were valued in the past, they are valued now and would have the same value in future. There is a large number of books which can be put into this category. The Ramayan, the Mahabharat, the Bible, the Gita and the plays of Shakespeare, Kalidas and Tagore are books of all times, because they are sources of inspiration to the people in the present and they will continue to inspire people in future. Another famous essayist Bacon said in his famous essay, Of Studies, “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some of them are to be chewed and digested.” It means that some books are to be read in parts, some are to be read but not with full attention, and some books are to be read with diligence and attention. To the first category belong newspapers, magazines , novels, and poetry, etc. They are to be read hurriedly. To the second category belong such books that are to be read carefully. To the third type belong the books that are to be studied again and again. They are books on philosophy, science and religion. The more we go through them, the more knowledge we get from them. essaysandarticles.com/education-essays/pleasures-of-reading

 The question is, why do people read? I think, they read because they like to read. It is not that everybody likes to read. But without book reading, there is no survival for human beings.  So, there is a good news for non-readers as well who love books at a distance but don’t know how to bring themselves to them. In fact, reading is a habit that can be cultivated gradually over a period of time. Once a man develops this habit like a hobby, he finds great pleasure in it. 
Books are no doubt, valuable treasures of knowledge and experiences. These treasures are open and available to all. For those who have developed a taste for reading, there is something more than mere knowledge. It is something like real happiness, pleasure and sensuous satisfaction. In short, reading offers a complete package of information, delight and sense of fulfillment. For example,

 a man after having worked hard during the day, takes a newspaper, magazine or a book of his choice to read as a way of relaxation. For a while, he forgets  about all his worries and finds solace in them. Also, it allows him to stay away from the monotony of everyday life. When a man  absorbs himself in it, he becomes unaware of his surroundings. This is the moment when he gets the real pleasure of reading.
 
TAHREEM ZAHARA

SEC: C