Comfort reading

A lot of adults are into comfort reading. Not always overtly,though. Yes,it’s the worst-kept secret of the Indian literati – going back to reading books which were childhood favourites and which provide them a much-needed escape from the toils and travails of a 21st century existence. In short,reading for the ‘comfort’ of a time long past and an experience you can recreate each time you let go of the Rushdies and the Friedmans of the world and pick up a Ruskin Bond or a Charles Perrault or even a Wodehouse,instead.

“There’s already so much tension and uncertainty in our lives that I don’t want to read about the insurgency in Kashmir or about the atrocities in Guantanamo Bay. But yes,give me The Chronicles of Narnia or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory any time and I’ll be game,as they are thoroughly enjoyable,” is what Priya Mahajan,an MBA student has to say. “I’ve been a huge fan of Johanna Spyri’s Heidi,and really enjoyed reading it as a young girl. I was so taken in by her life that I wanted to own a chalet of my own somewhere in the Alps. Now,every time I read it again,I am transported to my childhood,when everything seemed picture perfect and idyllic. I also like Moby Dick a lot,” says Manju Mitra,an avid reader and a media professional.

While some feel the need to be transported to the happiest times in their lives,others just want to unwind and relax. Rakesh Yadav,who’s an IT professional,agrees. “When I was about seven years old,my Dad gifted me The Bumper Book of Classic Stories. It had the best collection of children’s stories – right from adventures to fairy tales. Even today,I revisit lots of fond moments whenever I pick up that heavy volume,” says Yadav.

For Meeta Singh,it’s Tintin and Asterix which work. “I always go back and take out an old volume of The Adventures of Tintin when feeling upset or down and out. And it never fails to cheer me up. Ditto for Asterix,where the very names of the characters (Obelix,Getafix,Cacophonix,Dogmatix and WhoseMoralsAreElastix) are enough to give you fits of laughter,” Meeta adds.

And you thought the bestsellers’ list featured the likes of The Audacity of Hope and The White Tiger…!!!

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