Hooked on Books
One of the fondest memories of my childhood is the library. I am reluctant to admit that I was a library buff when I was still in elementary, but it's true. I remember how I used to go to the library during recess time. I'd spend those times reading books while my classmates were busy running around and having a lot of fun. Not that reading books wasn't fun for me. It was actually fascinating. I'm not sure how it all started; I just know that I love to read.
We have a whole set of encyclopedia and ten volumes of poetry, prose and stories. The stories range from classics like "Pride and Prejudice" to "Arabian Nights" and "Cinderella". I spent a lot of time reading and re-reading those books. I guess that's the reason why I know a lot of stories that my classmates, friends and family don't know about. I also didn't pass the chance of reading the encyclopedia. I love them so much that I used to browse through them for any topic I was curious about. I had looked at the pictures of different countries and dreamt of going there someday. It is a dream I still hold up to this day. Reading those books in our home library was not enough for me. I used to go through our reference books in school and look for stories to read. I am not sure why I was so captivated by what those books have to tell. I just know that I have this constant urge to immerse myself in the stories they contain.
One of the most interesting books I've read is the Bible. We have this really thick bible that has both the old and new testaments. I was so enthralled by the stories in the bible that I was able to finish reading it in around three weeks. And it's probably not normal for a kid, but I used to read the dictionary too. I remember how I would memorize several new words and write sentences using the new words I've learned just to see if I was able to grasp their meaning. There were times when I'd quiz my family about a new word and I'd feel so proud while explaining its meaning. I used to do this with my twin sister Malou. I would sometimes use those words when I talk to them just because it made me feel intelligent. Hah! False pride eh?
The books I read range from romance (cough, cough), suspense, adventure, sci-fi, comedy and a lot more. A lot of my high school and college days were spent reading romance books. I used to love reading romance stories because I can somehow relate to the story. Sometimes when the author is good enough, I am able to get the exact feeling of the characters in the book. Call me jaded but I seldom read romance books nowadays because I don't find them as entertaining as before. I only read them when I need something light to read or I need to get away from all the heavy stuff I've been reading.
Among my favorite authors is Alistair McLean. I only learned of him when I watched the movie "Guns of Navarone". I saw his name in the credits and checked out the books he has written. From then on, I've collected a lot of his books and I do believe I have a complete collection. He's into adventure and espionage-type of stories. What's so good about him is the way he incorporates humor in his descriptions. Sometimes, a simple line from his book has me laughing so hard because it's so sarcastically funny. It's too bad that he's already dead because I really enjoy reading his books.
Some of my other favorite authors are David Morrell (Brotherhood of the Rose), Erich Segal (Love Story), Jeffrey Archer (Kane and Abel), Robert Ludlum (Bourne Identity), Douglas Adams (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe), Mark Lederer (Anguished English), Thomas Harris (Silence of the Lambs), Mark Frost (List of 7), Caleb Carr (Alienist) and a lot more. For romance books, I love Johanna Lindsay (who doesn't?), Elizabeth Lowell, Brenda Joyce, and a lot of unremembered romance authors.
When we started studying in Manila, I see less of my "library". I compensate this with a lot of time I spent reading when I go home to Bulacan. My sisters would usually go out and socialize with other people while I waste the day away reading a book in the living room. I prefer the company of my books and my stories than the company of other people. Weird as it may sound, it's just the way I was.
I guess my constant reading has helped me to grasp the English language easily. I was good at it without knowing why. I remember when I was in grade 4, I was asked to represent our school for an English spelling bee. I can't remember how many contestants there were but I remember that there were a lot. But, alas! I only made it to the 4th place. I used to wonder how I can tell if the grammar of a sentence is correct. I wasn't familiar then with nouns, adverbs, etc. and yet I can tell when a sentence is wrong. It's probably because of all those books I've read. I guess it's not a surprise that I turned to writing. I used to write poems and short stories but I have lost copies of them somehow. My family loved my writing (but, of course!) and they used to go around showing them off to their friends. It is sad because I am no longer able to write poems. I am only able to write essays on topics I feel strongly about.
One thing that I also notice is that I read faster than most people I know. I remember an incident I had at the office when I was asked to read some project materials. I was able to finish reading them in three hours and it surprised everyone. When my supervisor voiced out his surprise, I asked "Bakit, dapat ba ay matagal?" (Why, should it take longer?) My friends fondly told me that they could barely stop themselves from laughing out loud and bashing me in for my comment. It took them several days to read the materials and there I was, already done reading it after only three hours. It is a phrase that my friends gleefully recall every time the occasion calls for it.
I've made a plan a long time ago to set up a library that's not only fully "booked" but also computerized. I've thought of creating a computerized system that will make book search easier because it will keep track of the status of each book. I even have a great name for the library, "Hooked on Books". I don't know if this plan will ever materialize since it requires a lot of money. I fervently hope that I can fulfill my plans. I want to give other book enthusiasts a good place to hang out in.
I still read a lot of books and magazines. I've spent a lot of money collecting books that I love. I would sometimes read a book several times because the story is good and captivating. Lately, I spend a lot of money buying comic books. I have Pugad Baboy, Foxtrot, Calvin & Hobbes, The Far Side, The Book of Zeus, Cathy, Wizard of Id and a lot of other comic books. This time it's not just the story but also the laughter I get from reading the books that got me addicted.
I would probably spend a lot more money buying books I would probably read only once. But that doesn't matter. I think my fascination has me chained forever. No matter how old I get, I do believe that I would always be hooked on books. :)
We have a whole set of encyclopedia and ten volumes of poetry, prose and stories. The stories range from classics like "Pride and Prejudice" to "Arabian Nights" and "Cinderella". I spent a lot of time reading and re-reading those books. I guess that's the reason why I know a lot of stories that my classmates, friends and family don't know about. I also didn't pass the chance of reading the encyclopedia. I love them so much that I used to browse through them for any topic I was curious about. I had looked at the pictures of different countries and dreamt of going there someday. It is a dream I still hold up to this day. Reading those books in our home library was not enough for me. I used to go through our reference books in school and look for stories to read. I am not sure why I was so captivated by what those books have to tell. I just know that I have this constant urge to immerse myself in the stories they contain.
One of the most interesting books I've read is the Bible. We have this really thick bible that has both the old and new testaments. I was so enthralled by the stories in the bible that I was able to finish reading it in around three weeks. And it's probably not normal for a kid, but I used to read the dictionary too. I remember how I would memorize several new words and write sentences using the new words I've learned just to see if I was able to grasp their meaning. There were times when I'd quiz my family about a new word and I'd feel so proud while explaining its meaning. I used to do this with my twin sister Malou. I would sometimes use those words when I talk to them just because it made me feel intelligent. Hah! False pride eh?
The books I read range from romance (cough, cough), suspense, adventure, sci-fi, comedy and a lot more. A lot of my high school and college days were spent reading romance books. I used to love reading romance stories because I can somehow relate to the story. Sometimes when the author is good enough, I am able to get the exact feeling of the characters in the book. Call me jaded but I seldom read romance books nowadays because I don't find them as entertaining as before. I only read them when I need something light to read or I need to get away from all the heavy stuff I've been reading.
Among my favorite authors is Alistair McLean. I only learned of him when I watched the movie "Guns of Navarone". I saw his name in the credits and checked out the books he has written. From then on, I've collected a lot of his books and I do believe I have a complete collection. He's into adventure and espionage-type of stories. What's so good about him is the way he incorporates humor in his descriptions. Sometimes, a simple line from his book has me laughing so hard because it's so sarcastically funny. It's too bad that he's already dead because I really enjoy reading his books.
Some of my other favorite authors are David Morrell (Brotherhood of the Rose), Erich Segal (Love Story), Jeffrey Archer (Kane and Abel), Robert Ludlum (Bourne Identity), Douglas Adams (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe), Mark Lederer (Anguished English), Thomas Harris (Silence of the Lambs), Mark Frost (List of 7), Caleb Carr (Alienist) and a lot more. For romance books, I love Johanna Lindsay (who doesn't?), Elizabeth Lowell, Brenda Joyce, and a lot of unremembered romance authors.
When we started studying in Manila, I see less of my "library". I compensate this with a lot of time I spent reading when I go home to Bulacan. My sisters would usually go out and socialize with other people while I waste the day away reading a book in the living room. I prefer the company of my books and my stories than the company of other people. Weird as it may sound, it's just the way I was.
I guess my constant reading has helped me to grasp the English language easily. I was good at it without knowing why. I remember when I was in grade 4, I was asked to represent our school for an English spelling bee. I can't remember how many contestants there were but I remember that there were a lot. But, alas! I only made it to the 4th place. I used to wonder how I can tell if the grammar of a sentence is correct. I wasn't familiar then with nouns, adverbs, etc. and yet I can tell when a sentence is wrong. It's probably because of all those books I've read. I guess it's not a surprise that I turned to writing. I used to write poems and short stories but I have lost copies of them somehow. My family loved my writing (but, of course!) and they used to go around showing them off to their friends. It is sad because I am no longer able to write poems. I am only able to write essays on topics I feel strongly about.
One thing that I also notice is that I read faster than most people I know. I remember an incident I had at the office when I was asked to read some project materials. I was able to finish reading them in three hours and it surprised everyone. When my supervisor voiced out his surprise, I asked "Bakit, dapat ba ay matagal?" (Why, should it take longer?) My friends fondly told me that they could barely stop themselves from laughing out loud and bashing me in for my comment. It took them several days to read the materials and there I was, already done reading it after only three hours. It is a phrase that my friends gleefully recall every time the occasion calls for it.
I've made a plan a long time ago to set up a library that's not only fully "booked" but also computerized. I've thought of creating a computerized system that will make book search easier because it will keep track of the status of each book. I even have a great name for the library, "Hooked on Books". I don't know if this plan will ever materialize since it requires a lot of money. I fervently hope that I can fulfill my plans. I want to give other book enthusiasts a good place to hang out in.
I still read a lot of books and magazines. I've spent a lot of money collecting books that I love. I would sometimes read a book several times because the story is good and captivating. Lately, I spend a lot of money buying comic books. I have Pugad Baboy, Foxtrot, Calvin & Hobbes, The Far Side, The Book of Zeus, Cathy, Wizard of Id and a lot of other comic books. This time it's not just the story but also the laughter I get from reading the books that got me addicted.
I would probably spend a lot more money buying books I would probably read only once. But that doesn't matter. I think my fascination has me chained forever. No matter how old I get, I do believe that I would always be hooked on books. :)
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