Do you ever find yourself wanting to escape reality? If the answer is yes, books are a great way to do so!
In this digital era, where everyone is hooked onto their phones, it is extremely necessary to inculcate a reading habit. Books not only give you a gateway to escape the mundane reality but also understand life better. They broaden your perspective and enhance creativity and critical thinking. As Roald Dahl said, “If you are going to get anywhere in life, you have to read a lot of books.” Moreover, it will also improve your vocabulary and communication skills.
How to Start Reading?
Every reader starts somewhere. If you have been meaning to pick up a book, but don’t know where to begin, don’t worry —you are not alone! Here is a curated list for you to pick from:
- The Room on the Roof by Ruskin Bond
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
- The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
- Famous Five and Secret Seven series by Enid Blyton
- The Magic of the Lost Temple by Sudha Murthy
- Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
- Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
- Hardy Boys series by Franklin W. Dixon
Readers’ Top Book Picks
“I would definitely suggest Manto –Thanda Gosht aur Anya Kahaniya. I read this book about 5 years ago after watching the film, Manto. And believe me, the world of writing changed for me after that. Manto says exactly what we see everyday and still choose to ignore those situations. What he writes is the harsh truth of this society. What he depicts is a slap to the mainstream writers and publishers who don’t have the guts to publish these. I am not able to write like Manto but he motivates me a lot…to write, to say, to shout in the ears of the society to GET UP AND SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE SURROUNDINGS!” –Tripur Baran Debnath, a spoken word artist.
“I would suggest The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.” –Afsana Badar, author of Nostos Homecoming: The Stoem.
“I have a couple of books to suggest. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Factfulness by Hans Rosling, Poor Economics by Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, and definitely, Nirmala by Premchand.” –Khushi Garg, an employee of Paper Towns Publishers.
“I would suggest Fling to Forever by Manisha Vashisht. This isn’t just a fling-turned-romance. It’s about healing, trust, and letting someone in, even when it scares you. Devesh is easily one of the dreamiest fictional men I’ve read -respectful, patient, and willing to risk it all for the woman he loves. And Akshara? A tigress who learns that vulnerability can be its own kind of strength.” –Nivetha Kannan, a book reviewer.
Kolkata Bookworms Share Their Top Reads
“If they are 10-13 years old, then they should start with Artemis Fowl series. A perfect beginners book series with all the fantastical elements.” –Sugat Shanker, author of A Moment from Eternity (poetry collection) and admin of Kolkata Bookworms.
“For beginners, they can pick up The Blue Umbrella for Ruskin Bond’s tongue in cheek style; The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck, because to understand non-fiction can also be super cool to go through; and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho for page turner element.” –Disha Manna, reader and member of Kolkata Bookworms.
“For people who are new to reading, I’d suggest Young Adult Fictions by John Green such as Looking for Alaska, Fault in our stars and Turtles All the Way Down.” -Supratik Ghosh, reader and member of Kolkata Bookworms.
“For someone new to thriller genre, I would suggest Third Twin by Ken Follett and Windmill of the Gods by Sidney Sheldon. And for the “Chick Literature” genre, Shopaholic series and Undomestic Goddess.” -Pooja Baid Somani, reader and member of Kolkata Bookworms.
For more such recommendations, stay tuned at The World Times!
