Why I Like Reading Books: a Narrative

Why I like reading (essay)

Even since I was a child I loved books, even before I could read. The pictures, the texture of the book, all held fascination for me. My parents would read to me every day and instilled a love of books in me. I won first prize for reading a poem by Tennyson when I was eight years old. That’s why writing “I like reading books essay” is an easy and enjoyable task for me.

I love the excitement and thrill of starting a new book. It is like entering a whole new world. Will it enlighten or entertain me, or will it make me laugh or cry? Literature can inform, inspire and motivate us without being overtly didactic. Novels like Brave New World and 1984 stimulate the imagination, as do Lord of the Rings and Animal Farm. I believe that literature can be an instrument of reform and change in the society. One of Dicken’s novels, Little Dorrit gave such a picture of the debtors’ prison of those days that people were made to think seriously of the futility and cruelty of the system of imprisoning people for debt. Eventually the law was altered, imprisonment for debt abolished in England.

In Nicholas Nickleby Dickens attacked some of the thoroughly rotten private schools of his time. Dickens’s chief weapon in his fights against public abuses was humour, a far more effective weapon than fiery denunciation. As he had made a laughing-stock of workhouse officialdom in the absurd figure of Mr. Bumble, so he held up to ridicule the inefficient school master in the person of the absursd, ignorant and tyrannical Mr. Squeers, headmaster of Dotheboys Hall. No doubt his picture had its effect in bringing in a better system of education. A novel that had a lot to do in rousing public opinion in America against slavery was Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s well known Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This came out in 1852, and made a great stir. Mention may also be made of Charles Reade’s novel, Never too late to Mend, which exposed the bad state of the prisons in England and Australia. Literature also raises issues which society finds hard to discuss openly. In the earlier part of the twentieth century, D H Lawrence’s work such as Lady Chetelier’s Lover was much criticised; perceived as vulgar and lewd and yet by the latter part of the century, he was hailed as a literary master. I enjoy the critical analysis that is involved in studying literature. Animal Farm is a good example of a book that can be read as an enjoyable children’s book or a political satire on Russian communism.

An important question has always been where to find resources with free literature, we wrote an amazing article about free books for students about this. Good historical novels allow us to relive major events that affected our forefathers and in turn affect us and the way we live today. In my Master’s I got the chance to study the work of Samuel Beckett and the theatre of absurd in detail. I am fascinated with the way Beckett explores the relationship between language and thought. It is interesting how he allows us to glean the workings of an individual’s mind. Waiting for Godot also highlights his ability to use humour. Having read the book, I enjoyed seen it staged in Islamabad. The production did well at accentuating the comical aspects of Beckett’s work. Trips to the theatre are always a special treat and something I try to do as much as possible. My developing fascination with Beckett, has led me to write my final dissertation on the major influences on his writing. I am particularly interested in the way he borrows from canonical writers like Dante to create new forms. The relationship between the exterior and the interior is a theme that fascinates me. I thoroughly enjoyed delving into this topic in my study of Shakespeare and exploring the ways that beautiful, flawed women are depicted through characters such as Chaucer’s May in The Merchant’s Tale and Thackeray’s Becky Sharp. I find Catherine Earnshaw an interesting character for the way that her beauty seems, paradoxically, to both empower and entrap her.

I believe that poetry is the noblest form of speech; and to learn to appreciate great poetry is in itself a liberal education. As the poet Coleridge said, Poetry is the best words in the best order. My English Literature presentations were enormously liked and appreciated by the students and teachers. I worked as an Assistant Editor for the Islamic Studies Journal which is an internationally recognized scholarly journal. Studying English Literature in my under graduation as well as post-graduation helped me to be analytical and be able to argue in a balanced way and draw pertinent conclusions. These are useful skills when I write and edit others’ writing. I use some of my free time to assist in junior English classes. It is rewarding to be able to help children who find this subject difficult. After graduating from Sussex, I am hoping to work in some context which involves maintaining my interest in literature. Ideally, I would like to be a literary agent and have the opportunity to both discover and also bring to the public interesting literature. I tutor English students in my free time and that has improved my ability to formulate and express ideas clearly. It helped to develop my skills in teaching and, more significantly, opened my eyes to the importance of learning from others. I hope to take the rewarding experience of teaching and learning further by continuing my studies at a postgraduate level and possibly pursuing a career in academia. Most of all, however, I want to study English for the incomparable sense of excitement I feel at opening a book, and it is this passion that I believe will help me to grow as a critic and a writer.

I believe I have the right attitude to study English at Sussex University as I am passionate about reading and always challenge myself in my work. My determination would also assist me in my studies, while helping me overcome any difficulties faced. Above all, the chance to read great literature, under professional guidance, presents itself as an experience I am eager to approach with commitment and enthusiasm.

My Favorite Type of Books

I have been reading books for about ten years now. Reading has helped me build my vocabulary, improved my focus and my imagination. My favorite type of books is fantasy books. I love fantasy books, because It takes us into worlds where the most impending catastrophe in life is the next alien invasion, not the looming deadline hanging over our heads like a death sentence; or where the villain that needs to be overcome has slits for eyes and definitely does not remind us of the break up we are trying to get over; where every problem might not have an easy solution, but it does have a magical (wizardry, scientific or super heroic, depending on your preference) one. In a fantasy books, so much is possible. There are so many different types of people.

In my opinion, all fantasy books are completely different. The worlds depicted in fantasy tend to be filled with all kinds of different characters, and the main characters are interesting and dynamic. Fantasy authors recognize the importance of grounding their fantastical stories in real, strong, relatable characters; and even secondary characters have depth. Another good thing about fantasy books is that the fantasy genre is filled with series. Most of the series are several books long (the books themselves are usually pretty long, too). You get to experience a fantasy world for the first time, and then it is exciting to reread the series again, and again…and again. Reading, in general, is great for the imagination. Visual mediums like television and film leave little to the imagination, but reading forces you to imagine the story for yourself, as you read along. However, I feel like fantasy is the best genre for sparking your imagination, because the things it makes you mentally picture, are rarely things you will ever see in real life; to include dragons and elves. However much the author describes the world of the story, it’s more open to interpretation by the reader because what is being described is something they will probably have no preconceived ideas about.

One of My personal favorite fantasy series is the “Throne of Glass” Sarah J. Maas Throne of Glass follows Celaena Sardothien, an 18-year-old assassin in the kingdom of Adarlan. After being imprisoned for a year by the king, she accepts the kings son’s offer to compete with other assassins and thieves for a chance to serve as the king’s champion, after four years of which, she would be granted freedom. As a series, Throne of Glass features a little bit of everything – from royal intrigue to history-based grudges to magic to fairies. There are even dragons. There’s adventure and romance and mystery, along with secret histories, hidden identities, and other surprises. Enemies become allies. Friends betray each other. The story of a young assassin’s attempt to save her from captivity becomes something much, much more. And the road to get there is a twisty, emotional mess. You’ll laugh, and cry, and cheer. And it’s an amazing ride. Fantasy books are thought-provoking and an outstanding genre of books that I love and enjoy.

Works Cited

1. Coleridge, S. T. (1817). Biographia Literaria: Or Biographical Sketches of My Literary Life and Opinions. Restless Books.
2. Lawrence, D. H. (2000). Lady Chatterley's Lover. Wordsworth Editions.
3. Maas, S. J. (2012). Throne of Glass. Bloomsbury Publishing.
4. Orwell, G. (1949). 1984. Secker & Warburg.
5. Shakespeare, W. (2008). The Merchant's Tale. In The Canterbury Tales (2nd ed., pp. 121-134). Penguin Classics.
6. Stowe, H. B. (1852). Uncle Tom's Cabin. J. P. Jewett and Company.
7. Tolkein, J. R. R. (2012). The Lord of the Rings. HarperCollins.
8. Tonnard, M., & Van Kesteren, E. (2007). Reading Ed Ruscha: Novels. Ludion.
9. Wells, H. G. (1932). Brave New World. Chatto & Windus.
10. Wood, J. (2014). The Theatre of Absurd. Bloomsbury Publishing.