I sincerely had not realized how much I love books until I went to Fareed's Bookstore yesterday and spent 50,000 UGX on 15 books...in my defence, that's a bargain right?!!!...Anyway, I am now dreaming of fourteen weeks or so (because I have been, by the skin of my teeth, managing to read a book a week) of being transported to other lands and temporarily morphing into the characters with whom I identify in the book I am reading.
That Michela Wrong book, It's our Turn to Eat that I read a month or so ago has remained with me. It impacted me as much as it frustrated me.
You see, I identified & agreed with the whistle blower John Githongo who unleashed information about the continued, deliberate and President- backed corruption in Kenya's government yet I was discouraged by the reminder that such behaviour is not welcome in Africa. People in power and their cronies must 'eat' and no-one should question this or try to put a stop to it because even the population on whose behalf an iconoclast attempts to speak, believes that is the acceptable way of doing things. That is a sad fact in most African countries :-(
Researchers have found that when you lose yourself in a work of fiction (more so a book as opposed to a movie), your behavior and thoughts can metamorphose to match those of your favorite character, according to the study published early online in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. The researchers, led by, Geoff Kaufman, a post-doctoral researcher at Tiltfactor Laboratories at Dartmouth College believe that fictional characters can change readers for the good. Once again the debate about how what human beings expose any of their five senses to affects their character, comes to the forefront. It seems to be true that you are what you read, or listen to, or watch...so, care must be taken when making the book, music or movie decision.
Growing up, our dad used to drive us nuts with the question, what have you learnt? whenever he would find us watching television. It had taken him 10 years of my life to allow us to watch T.V. and yet, now that we could watch it, he had to spoil it with the what have you learnt question. Looking back on the old man's question, I realize that it encouraged each one of us to always take a step back and consider what we are watching or listening to or reading and we are much better people for it.
By the end of today I will have finished reading a book on Cancer- The Emperor of Maladies which deservedly won the Pulitzer prize for I have never read a book written by a scientist that was so excellently done; thorough yet written in simple, down-to-earth language. I feel like I understand cancer a little better than I did when I first picked the book up and I think if I ever have to 'encounter' it whether in my life on in the lives of those close to me, I will handle the situation from an informed and, for me, therefore, a less fearful standpoint.
I am thankful for books. They have kept me company on many a cold, lonely day or night. They have taught me lessons that I most definitely would not have wanted to learn through the much tougher route that is experience. They have helped me tear down prejudices I may have had about this or that kit and caboodle. They have helped me put a finger on what I want and in what direction I would like my life to go. Power to books and the words of which they are constituted :-).
You want to share which book has 'made a difference in your life'? Please do. I am eager to read from you dear blogstalker :-)
You see, I identified & agreed with the whistle blower John Githongo who unleashed information about the continued, deliberate and President- backed corruption in Kenya's government yet I was discouraged by the reminder that such behaviour is not welcome in Africa. People in power and their cronies must 'eat' and no-one should question this or try to put a stop to it because even the population on whose behalf an iconoclast attempts to speak, believes that is the acceptable way of doing things. That is a sad fact in most African countries :-(
Researchers have found that when you lose yourself in a work of fiction (more so a book as opposed to a movie), your behavior and thoughts can metamorphose to match those of your favorite character, according to the study published early online in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. The researchers, led by, Geoff Kaufman, a post-doctoral researcher at Tiltfactor Laboratories at Dartmouth College believe that fictional characters can change readers for the good. Once again the debate about how what human beings expose any of their five senses to affects their character, comes to the forefront. It seems to be true that you are what you read, or listen to, or watch...so, care must be taken when making the book, music or movie decision.
I am thankful for books. They have kept me company on many a cold, lonely day or night. They have taught me lessons that I most definitely would not have wanted to learn through the much tougher route that is experience. They have helped me tear down prejudices I may have had about this or that kit and caboodle. They have helped me put a finger on what I want and in what direction I would like my life to go. Power to books and the words of which they are constituted :-).
You want to share which book has 'made a difference in your life'? Please do. I am eager to read from you dear blogstalker :-)
Really enjoying the blog, Lynn :-)
ReplyDeleteEh eh eh Where is Fareed's Bookstore???
But excuse please. Does the internet eat up all my comments?
ReplyDeleteLynn, now u have made me feel about my amazon finds!!! 50k for 15 books. Am visiting you riyo soon :) Eh banange, we still owe each other a coffee date.
ReplyDelete