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By Polly Obusan
I grew up reading books. I
actually missed out on a lot of childhood requisites such as
learning how to swim, playing with neighborhood kids till dawn, or
sneaking out of the house to ride a bicycle. I never did any of
those things. My idea of play was bringing to life Three Little Pigs
or Cinderella with my siblings, complete with striped bedcovers for
costumes and ironing boards and folding cots substituting as
castles.
We grew up in a house with a
library. That probably says a lot about the brood’s affinity for
the written word, and is probably the reason why we never really got
the hang of playing outside the house like the rest of the
neighborhood kids. We would spend countless afternoons reading
everything, from Disney’s hardbound storybooks to illustrated
encyclopedias, even coffee table books on architectural design and
books on Philippine history, the most vivid of which are Philippines
At War and the Marcos biographies. During times when we weren’t
ensconced in the corners of our library poring over books, we would
either be playing the piano or sketching cartoon figures or coloring
old textbooks instead. Such is our love for reading that when we
were growing up, we even discovered the merits of reading
“komiks” out of curiosity, even if it was strictly prohibited in
the house.
I started reading “seriously”
at the age of 9, with the Nancy Drew mystery books that my sister
used to bring home everyday from the school library. I would pore
over the pages secretly while my sister is asleep or when she’s
busy playing the piano. It took me weeks to finish reading my first
“serious” book, in secrecy at that, and from then on, I would
always look forward to reading the next book, and would always
anticipate the coldness of the library floor while I pore over the
pages, wide-eyed with awe one moment then scowling the next as I
stumble over new words and phrases encountered with every page
turned.
Such is the impact and influence
brought about by my introduction to the wonderful world of reading
that up to this very day, despite the evolution of technical
gadgetry and the presence of electronic medium (honestly, I never
got the hang of reading via e-books), nothing quenches my thirst for
the written word like glistening ink print in newly minted paper.
And in my humble opinion, a reader’s idea of paradise resembles
only two things: a fully stocked up library or a book sale. Or
anything that celebrates the mere existence of books.
Every year, April 23 is regarded
as a symbolic date for world literature as it marks the
international day for books, known as the World Book Day
(International Day of the Book or World Book and Copyright Day). The
yearly event, initiated by Unesco in 1995, pays a worldwide tribute
to books and authors as well as promotes reading, publishing and the
protection of intellectual property through copyright.
The idea for the celebration was
said to have originated from Catalonia, Spain, in 1923 wherein
booksellers devoted the day to honor the Spanish author, Miguel de
Cervantes, who died on April 23. This coincided with the celebration
of St. George’s Day in the region, wherein men traditionally gives
flowers to all the women. By 1925, the women updated the tradition
by giving books in exchange for the flowers that they received. The
date was also symbolic not only because of the Catalonian festival
but because it also coincides with the birth and death anniversary
of William Shakespeare. This is also the same date that marks the
death anniversaries of other illustrious authors such as Inca
Garcilaso de la Vega and Joseph Pla and the birth of literary
luminaries like Maurice Druon, Vladimir Nabokov, Manuel Mejia
Vallejo and Halldor Laxness.
Here in the Philippines, the
celebration will begin two days earlier, courtesy of Instituto
Cervantes in Manila, who will join the worldwide celebration of
World Book Day with a series of cultural events open to the general
public, starting with an Open House from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on April
21 featuring book-signing sessions with Filipino writers including
F. Sionil Jose, Gregorio Brillantes and Jessica Zafra, among others;
jazz concerts, dance performances and film showings (featuring La
Colmena and El Metodo).
Other interesting activities
lined up for the event includes Spanish wine and cheese tasting,
free salsa and Latin dance classes, and the opening of the Book
Market which will feature more than 4,000 brand new book titles as
well as a book sale of up to 20-percent off on prices courtesy of
Anvil Publishing, La Solidaridad, Fully Booked and A Different
Bookstore. And in keeping with the Catalonian tradition of which the
celebration is based, a rose will be given for every book sold
during the event.
(Instituto Cervantes Manila is
located at 855 T.M. Kalaw Street, Ermita, Manila, beside Casino Español.
For further inquiries, please contact 5261482-85 or visit http://manila.cervantes.se)
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