Books are a great way of sharing valuable information to others. They are important because they are the main source of information that provides overview on historical events that occurred in the past, records what is happening in present times, and helps give people insights about the future. Thus, when given a choice to choose among various alternatives on how to share bits of knowledge, books are the best option among available media. Books contain information that enables man to make informed decisions as it nourishes the brain to probe and analyze deeper and expands one’s imagination and knowledge.
A good book outlives humanity. Tracing it roots from the “convergence of several disciplines on a common set of problems” (Darnton, 1982, p. 65), books began from 2,900 BCE (Norman) when the early writings were done on cave walls, tablets, and the papyrus, depicting various images that represent medical information, religious beliefs, traditions, customs, and more. Books evolved to what it is today, and yet, history always refers to how it all began and how it has helped transform the world. Thus, anyone who aims to make a difference in people’s lives by sharing life lessons and secrets of success, then writing everything in a book is the way to go.
A book gives insights into stories and lives which are unique to an individual. People have various experiences and yet, when shared with other people, the stories can help change, inspire, encourage, and motivate people. Readers do not necessarily have to go through what other people experience, but through sharing knowledge and wisdom, people learn from other peoples’ experiences.
A book is like a drug to reading – it gives an individual the thirst to discern what will happen next, thus, the need to know the succeeding events. In this manner, books help in “building empathy” (Gaiman), the feeling of understanding what the author or the characters went through. It allows readers to see things through the eyes of the writer and undergo, feel, and imagine the experiences as if it were actually happening to the reader. It transforms individuals into a better version of oneself, considering that anything that the mind absorbs may have an impact on one’s being. Thus, after the reading experience, when the individual returns to his reality, changes in thinking and demeanor become apparent (Gaiman).
A book is also capable of showing a different world, one that is a reality of another individual. It may be related to “escapism” (Gaiman) reading that opens up new doors, opportunities, and ways of thinking that enable individuals by adding new knowledge and skills pertaining to situations the reader can identify with. Therefore, people do not have to be successful first to be able to understand what success is. Through success stories that others share, people who aspire for success are guided by the wisdom of those who have already tasted success.
Books are timeless and can be had in various forms. As technology advances, new methods of book production such as e-books, journals, research papers, and more, makes reading easily available to more people. Thus, where books will end up, whether in paper or in digital form, people will always have the opportunity to enjoy the reading experience. In addition, these days, good books are often translated into several languages, thus, readers also get to enjoy the wisdom of other well-known authors.
References
Darnton, R. (1982). What is the history of books?. Daedalus, 111. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/20024803?uid=3738824&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21102919585011
Gaiman, N. (2013). Neil Gaiman: Why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-reading-daydreaming
Norman, J. (n.d.). Book history timeline outline. From Cave Paintings to the Internet. Retrieved from http://www.historyofinformation.com/index.php?category=Book+History
