Riding the Reading Wave

Confession: I’m on a roll! A reading roll, to be precise!

Back in the peaceful 80s, I was a kid growing up in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. And I had one serious addiction: children’s fiction. From the legendary Peter and Jane series to Enid Blyton’s exciting adventures in The Fabulous Four and The Magic Faraway Tree, I devoured them all.  

I even read while stuffing my face at mealtimes! Food couldn’t tear me away from those enchanting tales that transported me to magical lands. I left my younger sister in the lurch quite often then, preferring the adventures playing in my mind than playing with our dolls.  

My love for reading continued well into my teenage and adult years. But as I grew older, work, chores, social media and well, life, changed my reading process. Reading slid down the first spot on my favourites list slowly but surely. I succumbed to this change unwillingly, even changing my Facebook profile status to Former Bookaholic.

In early 2019, the inevitable happened. I picked up a book, eager to dive into its pages, but I couldn’t even get past page 5. I blamed the book, thinking it just wasn’t my cup of tea. Soon after, I gave Orhan Pamuk’s A Strangeness In My Mind a shot. Guess what? By page 28, I was ready to throw in the towel. Mevlut’s life in Istanbul just didn’t click for me.

And so, it went on for months. The year zoomed by, and my book count plummeted from 5-8 a year to a measly 2. The last two books I managed to finish were Elif Shafak’s Three Daughters Of Eve and Paulo Coelho’s Hippie. There were moments when I genuinely questioned whether I’d ever experience the joy of reading again. Reader’s block? Yes, it’s a real thing!

But, like all obstacles in life, things changed one sweet day. I visited the Kuala Lumpur City Library, and nestled between the shelves, I stumbled upon Laura Barnett’s The Versions of Us. Picture this: Eva and Jim meet on a fateful afternoon, and their lives take three different mind-bending paths. I borrowed that gem of a book, and guess what? In just two weeks, I finished it! My bout of reader’s block had disappeared! After that I picked up my pace slow and steadily, but never got into back into the rhythm of reading like I did before.

In the past two months, something incredible happened! I started reading one book after another. From Lisa See’s captivating Snow Flower and the Secret Fan to Angela Patrick’s thought-provoking The Baby Laundry for Unmarried Mothers, my reading rhythm continued. I relived my childhood with the timeless classic The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, and danced through the pages of The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing by Mira Jacob. Each book carried me on a unique adventure and reignited my love for storytelling.

To all those facing the dreaded reader’s block, don’t worry! Take some time off and keep searching for that perfect book that will break through the barrier and reignite your passion for reading. Sometimes all it takes is a little patience and persistence. You’ll be diving back into the magical world of books before you know it!

Now, I have no clue how long my reading spree will last (no pressure, Anu), but for now, I’m embracing the joy. It’s like reliving my childhood all over again, but with a side of grown-up excitement. So, here’s to the thrill of flipping pages and the wonders that lie within.