My Favourite Book Essay
Books are considered to be objects of intellect and an excellent means of recording information through writing and images. Books can be of any genre and can be the home to many different types of content.
The content in them can be the fictional work of someone’s imagination or even the hard-hitting, real-life stories of other people around the world.
I’ve loved reading ever since I was a child. I truly believe that books are like an escape – they take you to other worlds and prompt you to look at your environment as well as yourself in another light.
Reading books activates the human imagination, allowing us to conjure up our own beautiful images from carefully crafted strings of sentences that decorate pages of stories you can read over and over. I never restrict myself to a single genre- books are a wonderful medium to explore the world, and I try to use that to the fullest.
My Favourite Book – Things Fall Apart
I love too many books to pick a favourite, but I really loved reading Things Fall Apart by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. It is a realistic historical fiction novel published in 1958, two years before Nigeria was free from British colonization.
A major reason why I love the book is because of its narrative – it uses a unique narrative to tell the story of the main character Okonkwo and his life in the fictional village of Umuofia before and after being colonized by the British.
Chinua Achebe’s goal when writing the book was so that it would serve as a story from which young Nigerians could learn about their past, while at the same time embracing their new future after independence.
Achebe wanted to convey the importance of duality- the concept of maintaining your core ideals while changing to accommodate a world which is also constantly changing.
The book tells Okonkwo’s story from his perspective, making him the main protagonist. It is divided into two halves – the first half explores Okonkwo’s present and past, helping readers understand his personality and inability to adjust to changing situations.
In the second half, we see this inflexibility manifest as he refuses to accept his authority being stripped away when the British take over Umuofia. His inability to handle change takes a major toll on his mental health, leading to the complete deterioration of his psyche at the end of the novel.
He serves as a symbol for some aspects of old Nigerian traditions and ways of living, which also gradually deteriorated due to the arrival of the British.
The main reason I really like this book is that upon reading it, I immediately understood the message that the author intended for his audience.
Okonkwo’s psychological deterioration as the novel approaches its end is a clear portrayal of the dangers that await us if we remain stoic and stubborn throughout our lives – we must accept how the world is constantly changing, and every corner of the globe is very different in terms of language, culture, and way of life.
By understanding that we are not superior and understanding other people’s perspectives are important, we become more open-minded and accepting, hence allowing the world to become the melting pot of diversity it should be.
The Importance of Reading Books
It is crucial that regardless of our age or background, we continue to explore the kinds of books we read. More than it, it is very important that we actually develop a habit of reading. Studies have shown that reading has several benefits for the individual, both physically, emotionally, and mentally.
By reading books, we stimulate our brains because we are focused on their content. We make our brains work hard at creating images from words, or trying to understand the mystery behind certain aspects of the story and figure out what might happen next.
Because of this stimulation, our brain becomes much more capable of performing complex analysis and handling difficult real-life situations. Moreover, reading significantly improves our vocabulary due to exposure to new words. As a result, our writing abilities are also improved to a great extent.
Reading is also very good for one’s mental health as it lowers stress and allows the person’s focus to redirect from their other major issues for a brief period.
It is a relaxing activity which can also help people with sleep issues. Reading serves as a peaceful form of entertainment for those who prefer being alone and not being in noisy environments.
Conclusion
Books are wonderful – a bundle of pages with a cover on top brimming with content that stimulates the human imagination and helps us escape pressing reality.
They are also beneficial to health. If you don’t like reading books, it’s definitely worth trying different genres until you find what interests you. It doesn’t have to be a book- it can also be an article or a blog post.
Books are easily available- they come in physical forms like hardbound and paperback and also are accessible via the Internet. Because of this, we always have a huge arsenal to pick from- it’s just a matter of finding something interesting and maintaining the habit of reading.
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