Book-worm

I am a book-worm, and I do enjoy the company of a good book. Nowadays, with modern technology and all the online books available, access to information has become easier than ever before.

Yet, and however useful and hands-on having all these books at our fingertip may be, nothing equals the joy of the physical contact with a book, having a book in one's lap, especially in a place under the sun or by the beach in just out of this world.

Today, in modern day Tunisia, the picture is slightly different, in that one can hardly spot a peson holding or reading a book for purposes other that taking a test. Newspapers, however, seem to have the lion's share.

The thing is that those daring to take a book and read it out there are in most cases looked at with disgust by others. I remember when I was teaching at secondary school and when I happened to be in the staff room having a go at some novel; and most of my colleagues, derisively asking me why on earth did I still read. You have a job now!! So what is the point???!!!

What makes me sad is that books no longer have their reveered place in the minds and hearts of the vast majority of people. We always come by newspaper articles speaking about how cultured the Tunisian citizen is, but the thing some of us tend to forget is that Tunisians read a lot, yes, but they read newspapers in the first place, especially the footbal sections. No grudge against sports!!!