The First Step

Each of us, when our day's work is done, must seek our ideal, 

whether it be love or pinochle or lobster à la Newburg, or the sweet silence of the musty bookshelves.

- O. HENRY, "The Social Triangle"

My first step into the world of books was as a 4 year old kid. I had access to plenty of comic books owned by one of my cousins. Those were the days of Phantom, Mandrake and Tintin. The wonderful world introduced by Indrajal Comics and Amar Chitra Katha helped in the initiation of a lifelong bond with books.

By the time I was 10 years old, I was reading the works of celebrated writers like O. Henry, William Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain and Charles Dickens. I must admit that I started reading in a very random manner, without having any real idea of the brilliance of these writers. I used to read any book that was issued to me by the school librarian.  

The first book that really left a strong impression on me during those days was a compilation of short stories by O. Henry. By the time I had finished reading that book I knew I was hooked to the magic of reading. The beauty and simplicity of the stories had a profound effect on a young reader like me.  

The short story that had really fascinated me at that time was ‘The Last Leaf’. I was left spellbound by the beauty of words weaved by O. Henry. The story had three main characters, each having very specific part to play in the tale. But the way the writer presented these characters and developed the essence of the story in so few words left me in wonder. The subplots of sacrifice and death dealt in the story were a bit too much for me to fully appreciate at that age. Nonetheless, I loved this particular story that demonstrated the power of hope and belief. Later when I reread the story after many years, I was yet again in awe of the master story teller and his creation. Till date O. Henry remains one of my favourite writers.

The other short stories included in the book were gems like ‘The Gift of Magi’, ‘Springtime a la Carte‘, ‘After Twenty Years’, ‘One Thousand Dollars’ and a few more that I cannot remember now. For a 10 year old kid each story was a revelation in itself. My journey into the world of books took speed after that and over a period of time I developed a reading habit that continues since. The credit for developing my reading habit also goes to my father, an ardent reader who believes that the greatest gift for any child is the gift of reading. His vision broadened my horizons and I embarked on this wonderful reading voyage.  

Sometimes I wonder how my reading life would have shaped up without that first story of the last leaf.....