Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend.
Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read!
Groucho Marx
With modern technology affecting all our lives, communication has become instantaneous and the internet has opened up a whole new world for us all.
In many ways, progress is a good thing and I believe that we are incredibly fortunate to be living in one of the most exciting times of world history. However, there is one tradition that I hope will continue to be treasured by us all – the joy and pleasure of the World of Books.
With the advent of the ‘Kindle’; the book reading experience has joined the modern age and gone all ‘techie’. I agree that it is a great tool for reading on the move…and a boon for backpackers who are often weighted down with kilos of books – I just wish it had been around when I went back packing a few years ago!
However, I am delighted to report that following a recent ‘straw poll’ of my friends and family to ask how many would want to replace their beloved books with an electronic version of the same, the general consensus was that no piece of technology can replace the joy of curling up with a good book and that it wouldn’t be the same somehow (at least for those of us over the age of 25!) to snuggle up in bed with a good ‘Kindle!’
There is something special and ‘touchy feely’ about the whole book experience…from perusing the shelves in the local book store or library; to making a selection and looking forward to some quiet time when we can switch off from the outside world and enter the world of inspiration contained within the pages of our chosen book.
Books have their own special energy and unique smells. We like having them around to bring us comfort and security. Turning the pages to reveal the next exciting chapter is a real thrill. Books are our friends and our companions and we are never alone when we have a good book for company.
A book that touches us in some deep way will remain in our memory forever. And when a book makes such an impression, we can often we can recall exactly where we were when we first read it.
As you may have gathered by now, I am just BONKERS about BOOKS!
Julie Bryant – Creator of Naked Dragon
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Naked Dragon are committed to promoting the joys of books and the pleasures of reading. We will be participating in World Book Night on 23rd April 2012 and will be giving away a copy of my favourite book – The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – to the first 24 people to book a ticket for John Whiteman’s talk – Creating Happiness from the Inside-Out – on Wednesday 25th April.
For further information about John’s Talk, please click HERE
And for further information about World Book Night, please click HERE
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Some final thoughts on our enduring love for books…
To read a book for the first time is to make an acquaintance with a new friend; to read it for a second time is to meet an old one ~ Chinese Saying
Books are the windows through which the soul looks out ~ Henry Ward Beecher
The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it ~ James Bryce
If there’s a book you really want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it ~Toni Morrison
Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers ~ Charles W. Eliot
Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it ~P.J. O’Rourke
I find television to be very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go in the other room and read a book ~ Groucho Marx
