Exercise is to the body what reading is to the mind. A cultured mind, truly finds immense pleasure in reading. Reading makes a man perfect. By reading we get information, facts and knowledge of the affairs of the world. It is reading that broadens our outlook by removing narrow thinking.

The books prescribed for our formal education do not sometimes provide pleasure to us. This is an obligation on us to read those books as we have to continue with our education. We are to go through them even though we may not like them. The books that provide us pleasure are the books of liking and interest. Therefore we should have vast field good books for our knowledge.

Good books are better than our best friends. Our friends may ditch us, they may leave us in the lurch, but books can never desert us. They remain always with us as true guides. The habits of reading good books not only enrich our mind but enrich our experience too. Through books we can reap benefit from the real life experience of the great men. We can learn many things by reading. Life no longer presents to us a dull monotonous aspect but we find at every turning fresh wonders and mysteries awaiting us.

Reading is also a means of passing time. Whenever we have leisure we can take a book and read it. In this way neither our time is wasted nor do we get bored. Instead we get acquainted with many inspiring personalities of India and abroad.

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But there are some readers who want to read that is romantic, thrilling and full of suspense. They read these types of books in one sitting only. But the pleasure of reading these types of books is momentary.

In this age of cheap printing and mass output we should develop a good taste for reading. We must have the insight to select good books to find real and permanent pleasure. We must be aware of the fact that good books show us right path to go ahead whereas bad ones lead a path which ends in a ditch into which its readers must fall one day. Hence, we should be careful while making selection of books. We must not forget the words of Milton in this regard, “A good book is the precious life blood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured upon purpose to a life beyond life”. Thus we can elevate our life and can make it (life) meaningful by reading good books. The immortal works of immortal writers are always there to fill us with immense joy and pleasure. Hence, we must cultivate a habit of selecting only these types of books for our reading. Our reading must be for utilising our time and not for wasting it.