Tuesday 8 October 2013

How I became an addict - part 3

    

     After the rush of that first book, I was hooked. But I was still a little reluctant to take the plunge because I knew I was at the threshold of what could potentially change my life forever. At that stage of becoming an addict, an addict of anything for that matter, you usually are more entranced with the excitement and exhilaration that your new habit brings rather than the consequences and implications. I was no exception to that rule.

     The next book I bought was a thriller; a trade paperback. It was around 400 pages long at that was the longest book I would have ever read in my life at that time. I flew threw its pages. It's language was easy so that helped. It was like trying a new drug and being given the smooth, rookie stuff before going hard core. I was relocating to another country at that time and that book accompanied me on the plane and I vividly remember the first nights in the hotel I was put up in with that book drugging my mind with a world and an adventure that kept me from focusing on the pain of being thousands of miles away from my family for the first time.

     A month later my wife joined me and the pain of separation was gone but the habit had been established and I needed my daily dose of words no matter what was going on around me.

My name is Mohammed, and I'm a book addict.

To follow these musings you can either follow this blog via e-mail  or you can follow #DMBookaddict on twitter. You can also follow me on twitter @mrefaat85

 

Monday 7 October 2013

How I became an addict - part 2


     When I think back to the first time I shot up a book, I always wonder why I didn't start earlier. I had been frequenting this store that has a book section and I admired the neat shelves stacked with a myriad of hardcovers and paperbacks with their new-book smells and smooth texture. I hadn't worked up the nerves to actually buy one. I was fresh out of college and I didn't have enough money to support my habit. Of course that was back when I was under the impression that food and clothes came before books. Now I know better!

     After the first couple of pay checks I made up my mind and on the next visit to that store, reluctantly, I bought my first book. It wasn't the first book I read in my life, nor do I count it among the 112 books I've read in the past years, but I clearly recall the tiny part of my brain that sparked with the light of knowledge after I turned the last page on that book. More importantly, I remember the euphoria that gripped me upon realizing that I stumbled on a treasure that I will spend a life time consuming and will never even scratch its surface.

     Needless to say, with my next pay check came another book; a more expensive one, because it was bigger.


My name is Mohammed, and I'm a book addict.


To follow these musings you can either follow this blog via e-mail  or you can follow #DMBookaddict on twitter. You can also follow me on twitter @mrefaat85
 

Sunday 6 October 2013

How I became an addict - part 1

Hi. My name is Mohammed, and I'm a book addict.

     I can clearly track the beginning of my habit back to four years ago. But come to think of it, I guess it was always there, just waiting for someone or something to enable it; empower it; amplify it.

     Over the past four years I've used, uh.. read, 112 books. Some of the people close to me tried to plan interventions for me over the years but they never worked. However, I did come to discover and realize many things about myself.

     Books became a full blown addiction for me four years ago. And I haven't stopped needing them ever since. I never got on the wagon to fall off. I'm not going to start now.

     Everyday I will share with you some of my thoughts on being a book addict in a world that cannot accept people with special needs.

     My name is Mohammed, and I'm a book addict. And I'm loving it!

To follow these musings you can either follow this blog via e-mail  or you can follow #DMBookaddict on twitter. You can also follow me on twitter @mrefaat85