conversations

We are so busy shedding, trimming and downsizing.

When we do this with words we tend to be incoherent. One way of dealing with this is to cut out words and use precise and concise ones.

With regards to words we use a range of them—“twelve a clock in the noon”

“End result” and many more.

Quite a few words have lost their potency as they are over used.

We have lost the art of conversation. The best way to retrieve it is to spend time with families, our own and others. We pick up quaint words, precise words, beautiful words and not so beautiful words.

My daughters love spending time with the Kane family, introduced to us by Rick Riordan while I prefer the family at Blanding’s.

The chain is very simple, when we read sentences; we think sentences, when think sentences we write sentences, when we write sentences we speak sentences.

How about a challenge to try this one.

Gedon Gewrite Libban

Before they read words, children are reading pictures.”

― David Wiesner, David Wisner

What book, fiction or nonfiction, would I love to see illustrated?

Simple answer ALL.

An illustration is a rendition, (that could be presented as a drawing painting, photograph) That is created to dictate sensual information, maybe a story poem or a newspaper article.

Illustrated fiction, takes the reader into the world of the character virtually, the storyteller, the story and the listener all become part of each other. On the other hand, it robs the reader off creating his own pictures. But every story gets translated to a visual before we really internalize the story.

Illustrated non-fiction makes learning easy. I would have been foxed but for illustrated anatomy and physiology text.

As Marilyn Vos savant puts it,be able to draw an illustration as least well enough to get your point across to another person.

read a book day

September 6th is read a book day.
For a bookworm like me it the ideal holiday. Rains outside, a warm cup of coffee, banana chips and books. Books could be PG Wodehouse, Agatha Christie.
I remember Brigadier Cariappa from the bamboli army camp tell us when he learnt how to read how an amazing new world was discovered by him. Or like the poet Tennyson one travels the world through the eyes of the author. They are documents of a lifestyle, thought and philosophy of a generation.
My earliest memory of the romance with the books is my mother showing me some pictures. The first book I read was Enid Blytons “Famous five go on an adventure ” anyway it was a famous five with my older cousin initiating me to a world of whodunits.
Of course I had my share of Mills and Boons, Barbara Cartlands and Denise Robins. I even read a couple of Danielle Steel’s. Before discovering Zane Greys and the Sudden series.
When my kids came along I had subscribed to tinkle for my older daughter. The brat that she is, she would get me to narrate the story in Kannada, then my husband had to narrate it in Marathi. In our absence she would place all her dolls and narrate the stories to them. When my younger daughter was born the dolls were replaced by her. When she was 10yrs told my older daughter read and explained the autobiography of a Yogi to her younger sister who was 5yrs.
My younger daughter was more into autobiographies. Abdul Kalam and Vikram Sarabhai being her favourites. Now of course it is Harry Potter and the Twilight Series.
When my dad was in the terminal stage of his disease, mornings he would read the newspaper. Then my younger daughter would read him her favourite books and they were all the green dragons for 10 year olds. In the evening my three year old niece would read/share her picture books. He would look forward to these interactions with his grandchildren.

kids book rack

Books by Enid Blyton ruled our childhood; with what Katy did series Heidi or Little women series
While Enid Blyton glossed over the school values and growing up with sports and adventures. Self discovery it was kind of sexless. Make up was not acceptable, being Lady like was not shall we say cool?
The little woman series or the Katy did series were also about growing up, but in an American environment, the limitations of a lower middle class family, working to achieve ones ambition, and contributing to the family were all there.
When I looked at what my eight year old niece reads, it’s about makeup, dating, partying being cheer leaders I realize that the generations have change so have the people who create the value of the generation.
Children are no more left to agonized over a hockey match, they agonizing about fitting into peers, about having boyfriends and using lipsticks at the age of 12!

wired book

Would I use an e-reader?

But what is an e reader? Thank god with Google one does not really have to accept ignorance.

Google says that:

• an e-book is a device to read digital books and periodicals,
• Hardware used to read an e-book something like a laptop, netbook or desktop!?!

Advantages would be, I can carry a lot books with little space my own mobile library. Books don’t go out of print,(books printed before 1900 are available on public domain.) translation is a click away, environment friendly no trees felled, purchase or burrow is instant—cost effective I don’t know.

But what about the changing formats then reading them would be a challenge, where is the aesthetic appeal and smell of a new book. Reading is such a nuisance that one tends to skip.

Picture books not feasible.

I guess curling up with a hot cup of coffee tea, potato chips, and a book and to leisurely follow the writers vision would win hands down.

about books

Time is a river and books are boats many volumes start down that stream. only to be wrecked and lost beyound recall in its sands only a few a very few endure the testings of time amd live to bless the ages following.– from the masonic bible

embracing new information

Embracing a new information.

Living in the era of information, we are bombarded each day with information, which turns to knowledge, and when applied it becomes wisdom. But this process needs intuition to fructify.

Living in the era of information, its quite easy to get overwhelmed by the constant bombarding of information, breaking news, and even spiritual revelations that fill our bookshelves, radio waves and in-boxes. No sooner have we decided what to eat or how to think about the universe than a new study or books comes out negetating our belief or learning.  Instead of getting carried away or confused  by the bombardment, the best thing to do would be to let your intuition guide you.

Many a times, information accessed through books and web, may need to be modified with our own knowledge and experience.

Acquiring, assimilating, sifting and applying is a dynamic state, and a learning process.