Dehradun, Oct. 16 -- The Books from My Shelves

Books have always seemed to me like the most reliable of companions. They do not demand an appointment; they are available on demand, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. They do not mind being put aside when duty calls, nor do they complain if we return to them after a long absence. They wait patiently for us to resume the conversation. Yet, in this age of smartphones and social media, these faithful companions seem to be crying for attention.

The reading habit I acquired very late

I come from rural India, from a background where libraries were virtually unknown. In the village where I grew up, there was no library one could casually walk into, browse through shelves and discover a...