Reading in Quarantine- #Birthdaybloghop

Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people – people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.” – E.B. White

With the Coronavirus crisis and most of the nation quarantined inside the comfort of their homes, I can presume all the bookworms silently rejoicing, not that the world is coming to a standstill (that would be rude), but because of the reason that we will have all the possible time in the world to be reading and ticking off our TBR lists (Not precisely though). At least we thought we will have all the possible time in the world to read and read till our eyes are sore, but guess that remind yet another excuse of, ‘maybe, I will start reading tomorrow.'

And, one would probably be asking, ‘why read? when we have other things to keep ourselves engaged. There are so many other things to do and catch up with- for instance, binge-watching book adapted series, attending zoom calls, video calling old friends to check on them, playing a much interesting online games, or polishing our baking skills of learning how to bake a banana bread from scratch and so on. TBH, I was looking forward to reading and ticking off my TBR list to fill the void as I maintain a good social distance. However, to some, reading just remind a wishful thought. Is this quarantine making us difficult to catch up with our reading goals, complete our goodreads challenges or is it giving us more time to achieve our never-ending reading list? I am sure everyone has their say in this.

But, on the contrary let me tell you why reading in the time of quarantine can act as a great way to cope up with negativity filled news on TV or social media platforms.  Every day there are deaths, followed by curves that don't seem to flatten (just like our stubborn tummy flab). The therapeutic feeling of reading a book can take us out of the gloom for once. Trust me when I say this, books are the greatest comforter in tought times like this,  you will find yourself laughing over a good humor book, your head dug in venturing out into a fantasy-filled world or your mind filled with pleasant thoughts. A good read can also help you get through anxiety and lift your mood at any given ‘reading’ chance. For me, I owe my books for numerous tough/ happy occasions. I go to my books for help. Every. Single. Time. I am angry? I read. Sad? Pick a book. Happy? Celebrate it over a book. Anxious? Look out for an answer in those fragrant filled pages. I might as well need a separate blog to jot down all the occasions where my books came to my rescue, but for now this will do.   

A sense of coping mechanism is what I would say reading is all about. Books and stories can bring you relief if not hope. Talk about self- isolation? reading can take you places through your limitless imagination. Reading can uplift your soul, one page at a time. So, this is not just me saying, but ask any bookworm about their happiness during these hard times and you will certainly hear the sweet melody of each of us saying ‘books,’ under our breath. I hope you all feel better and a sense of positive today, if not you can always take solace with reading and see the world turning into a ray of a sunbeam. Pick up a book and dive into the world of art as your imagination takes you into the world you would otherwise never visit without reading.

Also, in case you are confused about what book you would love to read, here I made a list of books one must read before we die, just in case we never get out of this global pandemic.

Let me know which one you are looking forward to reading or have read it already.

• Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald
• The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
• The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger
• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
• Animal Farm by George Orwell
• The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

These are just a few of my favorite books which I think everyone should read it once in a while.

Stay Safe and Happy Quaratined Reading

Note: This post is part of #Birthdaybloghop by Vidhya Thakkar and Neelam Sharma should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. The content herein is owned by the blogger. Hosts are not responsible for any infringement caused.