There is no 2009 anymore. But as the year 2010 emerges from the ashes of 2009 lets hope to have fun and frolic all around us and pray God to keep economic stability steady and safe and most importantly keep our eyes open for any injustice and unfairness being inflicted upon the society around us and voice against it through our blogs.
As for 31st night...I've had one hell of a night with so much of masti that I'm gonna cherish it all for the rest of my life. We arranged a bonfire party and danced till late in the night. And as for new year resolution...I've none. I don't need an occasion like new year's eve to resolve to do something that would bring about a remarkable change to my life. If there's any such need, I would do it irrespective of what day or occasion it is.
It was another day while I was whiling away my time surfing Net in order to find something interesting that I chanced upon a site called "The Reader Organisation". After I explored it for next 20-30 minutes I was overwhelmed by feelings of respect for the work the organisation carries out and its contribution to the world of Books.
The Reader Organisation is a charity dedicated to bringing about a Reading Revolution - this means great books reaching everybody - it's their mission to engage people of all ages and backgrounds in sharing a wealth of literature. According to them Reading is a force for social good that can build community and enhance lives.
The Reader Organisation runs various hugely inspiring outreach literacy program such as Get Into Reading, Liverpool Reads and Community Shakespeare to bring about “a reading revolution”.
Get Into Reading is the brainchild of Jane Davis, founder and director of the Reader Organisation. She believes “books can save lives” — believes it so passionately she has, in less than ten years, created an extraordinary movement, with 150 groups now meeting weekly in hospitals, prisons, refugee centres, children’s homes, libraries, YMCAs, day centres and homes for older people.
These are not “book groups”, where people come together to discuss a book they have read; they are reading groups, led by trained Get Into Reading project workers, who read the texts aloud, with group members joining in as much or as little as they wish. Interruptions are encouraged and often lead to spontaneous sharing of life experience. Texts include novels, short stories, poems, plays and works of non-fiction. I wish we could do the same here in India as well.
What most of the people feel that great Literature by Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Charles Dickens belong to academics in English Departments and as a result draw themselves to fictional work by other writers. But this organisation emphasizes a lot on literature to make people savour the works those of Shakespeare and Tolstoy and hence eliminate the beliefs that their work belongs only to academics. My Mom, when young, had read almost all of Shakespeare's work and still longs to read them. Love you Mom..!!
As a child..I was never into classics by Shakespeare or Dickens but more into Comics By Archie, Books by R.L.Stine, Nancy Drew Series, Hardy Boys Books and lots more. I remember I used to read a lot of them by R.L.Stine Fear Street Series and hide them under my pillow given to their glossy covers featuring some gorgeous looking Girls in their Shorts(Guess, this could be a marketing strategy back then...) when someone was around and read later into the Nights after everyone was asleep. Hee Hee..:)But now I read more of Indian Authors as I feel, I can somehow understand the emotions they put in their work and feel an inexplicable attachment to their books.
But now I'll try my best to lay my hands on some literature as well.
Last word should go to Writer and Poet Blake Morrison who commented 'In the presence of books, it's as if a hand has reached out and taken our own. That's the hand The Reader Organisation is trying to extend'.
I wish we could have the same here in every city and village in India and contribute our best and maximum to Book World.
This is what Reading Revolution is all about and there is nothing to stop people reading great books, at least not me.
