Reading

Reading is a relatively new way of passing time. The printed word educates, elevates and entertains us and makes us more aware of ourselves and our surroundings. In the pre-google era one needed a guru or read a book to learn anything. If one wanted to learn history, rustle up a new culinary preparation, unravel the secrets of the universe or learn a language, books were the only medium freely available without any prejudice. Although rudimentary forms of printing have been around since 220 AD (China), it was the invention of the printing press by Gutenberg in the 15th century which really brought literature to the masses. Offset printing was introduced as late as 1875 thereby making the process faster and affordable. We can now order any book from the comfortable confines of our home but little do we realise how recent the phenomena if reading is.

Only a select few could read earlier as education was accessible only to the elite but this social injustice has been corrected to a large extent. Human creativity and the need to tell stories was nurtured because of large scale printing.

On a personal level I have seen my reading preferences change over the past few years. I used to really enjoy fiction during my carefree college days. I have gobbled up all novels of Alistair Maclean, Michael Crichton, Arthur Hailey, Jeffrey Archer, and most works of Sidney Sheldon. PG Wodehouse has been my literary idol for many years. Psmith in particular never fails to disappoint. Every reading of Wodehouse unfolds some previously unrecognised nugget of humour. Ayn Rand’s Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged also made their mark. Her stories though utopian, make a deep impression. Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn's Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister are perhaps the best political satire you would come across. The humour is typical British. Among Marathi writers, I have had the privilege of reading the works of the great PL and Vapu. Sadly, I haven’t been introduced to the other giants. These days fiction has taken a back seat as I read a lot on diverse fields like philosophy, management, mental models, self-improvement etc. Farnam Street has been a godsend for me.