I agree with the view that reading is becoming a dying habit. In this hectic modern life, people don't have time for leisure and even if they do they would prefer spending it by surfing the net or by hanging out with friends.
Forget the grown-ups, even the youngsters are busy in building their career on the basis of knowledge gathered from their school-books. The question of reading books other than text books doesn't arise owing to shortage of time. Consequently, what they acuire is lomited knowledge which does not help them in the long run.
Reading is a good hobby which unfolds a vast area of knowledge. It gives one immense pleasure & mental satisfaction, Parents should divert the attention of their children towards reading more useful books along with story books, novels, poetry, etc, in order to protect this habit from dying.
Monalisa Biswas,
Guwahati
(Published in The Assam Tribune, Sunday Reading, People Speak column on 22nd June'03)
