Reason and Concern

READING

BY: Ronquillo Tolentino

2010 Nobel Prize winner for literature, Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas Llosa manifested preference for books printed on paper and at the same time manifesting apprehension that something valuable may be lost in this age of e-books and digitization.

Vargas Llosa hopes that the new technology would not result into what he terms as “banalization of the contents of the book”.

Vargas Llosa, while admitting change was inevitable, emphasized that the information revolution is rapidly changing his cherished world of words. He hopes that literature would remain connected to “the most essential problems, social and human”. Damian Solfian of Engine Articles.com wrote on the importance of reading, thus :

“It is a well-known fact that when there were no televisions or computers, reading was a primary leisure activity. People would spend hours reading books and travel to lands far away-in their minds. The only tragedy is that, with time, people have lost their skill and passion to read. There are many other exciting and thrilling options available, aside from books. And that is a shame because reading offers a productive approach to improving vocabulary and word power. It is advisable to indulge in at least half an hour of reading a day to keep abreast of the various styles of writing and new vocabulary.

“It is observed that children and teen-agers who love reading have comparatively higher IQs. They are more creative and do better in school and college. It is recommended that parents inculcate the importance of reading to their children in the early years. Reading is said to significantly help in developing vocabulary, and reading aloud helps to build a strong emotional bond between parents and children. The children who start reading from an early age are observed to have good language skills, and they grasp the variances in phonics much better. “Reading helps in mental development and is known to stimulate the muscles of the eyes. Reading is an activity that involves greater levels of concentration and adds to the conversational skills of the reader. It is an indulgence that enhances the knowledge acquired, consistently. The habit of reading also helps readers to decipher new words and phrases that they come across in everyday conversations. The habit can become a healthy addiction and adds to the information available on various topics. It helps us to stay in-touch with contemporary writers as well as those from the days of yore and makes us sensitive to global issues.”

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