My Favourite Reads

I remember attending a function where ANC Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa, mentioned that at some point in his life, he used to read about 60 books a year. Because of his busy life, he had cut down to 30. I was so awe-inspired that one of my resolutions for 2014 was to also try to read at least 30 of my own. I’m already an avid reader and it won’t be like I’m starting from scratch, so how hard can it be, right?

 Eleven months down the line, I’ve only managed to read about five books and that’s shameful, considering how high had pegged. Between now and December 31^st, I don’t see myself reading 25 books, maybe just two or three more.   I’ve been so busy trying to juggle many balls, like most women, and haven’t really had time to even visit the library. Every time I pass by the Manzini Library, I make a mental note to visit it, but never really get round to it. I do, however, plan to carry the resolution over to 2015.

There’s a lot to be benefitted from reading. For those of us who have English as their second language, it helps with expanding vocabulary.  With every book, even the boring ones, there’s always a new word to be learned. Reading is also good for escapism. While you are engrossed in a book, you have an opportunity to remove your thoughts from stressful situations in your life, it is very therapeutic. I’m not a social butterfly and sometimes I wonder if I should start building a friend base. With lots of books around me, I doubt that thought would ever cross my mind again, and herein lies the risk of being anti-social and probably turning into a complete egghead.

Being a closet fiction writer, reading provides a view of how authors present their work, what’s to be emulated and what’s to be treated with disdain. I have read some really trashy books that made me feel I should run to the nearest publishing house to get my stories published so that I can save the world from bad books. But when I read impeccable works, like those of my favourite author, John Grisham, I suddenly feel really inadequate as a writer. Speaking of John Grisham, I think it’s time I gave other writers a chance. Every time I get into the library, I start looking for his books that I haven’t read yet. Now I don’t even know how to start reading books by a different author. I realise that I can’t, in all honesty, call myself a reader if I only read books written by one author.

When I tried to compile a list of my favourite books, I discovered that it was full of John Grisham books, even though I have read many other authors. I decided to just put one of his books, so that I can, like I said, give other writers a chance. In the end the list comprised a good number of set books I studied in high school and at university. These are books I read a long time ago but still have very vivid recollection of the storylines. Of course, there are some that I don’t even want to think about because they made me miserable back then, like Shakespeare’s As You Like It and  Virginia Woolf’s To The Lighthouse.

Here are my most memorable reads and favourite magazines. I hope to gradually grow the list and update it with newer books written by fresher authors. I also hope to read more non-fiction books.  There are times when we have to be serious about life:

  1. A Painted House – John Grisham 

   2. Time of the Butcherbird

   3. A Chain of Voices – André Brink 

   4.  A House for Mr Biswas – VS Naipaul 

   5. Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte 

   6. Great Expectations – Charles Dickens 

   7. Kane and Abel – Jeffrey Archer

   8. The 39 Steps – John Buchanan 

   9. Your Family Magazine 

   10.Women and Health Magazine 

   11. A Twist in The Tale – Jeffrey Archer 

   12. Animal Farm – George Orwell