Please, Sir, I want some more... Thank You Mr Dickens

     I recently spoke to a friend about things or people that have shaped our lives and made us what we are today.  She was referring to her ex-boyfriends, which I thought is great considering I may not have been as generous in my assessment of exes, LOL. In any case, considering that I do not have any that may have shaped my life, it did bring about a good point and I thought about what may have shaped my life and  made me what I am today.  Of course I thought of books!

     Judging from the number of books I go through these days to the point that a book seems like an extension of my hand, it is hard to believe that I was reading picture books until the age of 12.  I guess I was a late bloomer that way or maybe reading picture books allowed me to read more than novels would have allowed. since I would get through them faster, LOL.  In any case, I totally skipped that stage of adolescent novel reading so never read a word of Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton.

     Then I entered high school and was greeted by this library of books that had no pictures! How could it be? What would I do?  LOL

     It was around that time that I realized that I had a storybook of sorts already in my possession.  It was Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens and the reading novel for my Secondary One Literature class.  It was a most daunting task and I was very apprehensive about reading this book that had no pictures but I persevered - not that I had a chance  anyway considering that it was for class.  I was pleasantly surprised that I really enjoyed it, even it was essentially a textbook. It was a book that I did not mind reading over and over again and if memory serves, I even read it for leisure once or twice after that year.

     For those unfamiliar with the plot (highly unlikely I reckon considering what a classic it is), Oliver Twist is the tale of young Oliver Twist, an orphan born in the workhouse. Following his escape from the workhouse, he meets a gang of pickpockets in London and is tricked and forced to work for them. He eventually finds out who his real family is and lives a happy life.

     So it was essentially Oliver Twist that reminded me of my love of reading and encouraged me to check out the school library to see what else is there. Lo and behold, I discovered a whole new world! Like Oliver, after that first book, all I wanted was more!  I needed books almost as much as I needed oxygen!

    So from the bottom of my heart, I would like thank Mr Charles Dickens for enticing me to try out the world of novels, which in turn has enabled me to travel the world over the years through my reading.  Thank you Mr Dickens!