In Search of Good Books

It’s kind of precise timing taking up this subject matter for its sheer relevance as a subtle way of nurturing one’s mental faculty. Tomorrow is by and large the first opening day of school nationwide for S/Y 2008-2009.

Last week, I nonchalantly wandered inside a mall, drifted into a place crammed with pile upon piles of what appear to be old reading materials. Glancing now intently, I found myself holed-up in a store selling mostly used books and magazines of all sorts. Feels like I fell into a corner of finer things, it rekindled an old familiar feeling inside me, of feeling like a kid surrounded by a variety of toys, upon sight of those resplendent wide array of books, mostly imported, hardbound and of good quality print materials, paperbacks, magazines and assortments; and at bargain prices to boot.

In that fleeting moment, I was prompted to call my comrade back home in my humble hometown, Caramoan, Mr. Regalado A. Emerenciana, a scholarly teacher who is widely acknowledged around the academe as Man of Letters. I can not contain telling him my buoyed-up excitement in rediscovering my old flame, what else, but my utter love for books. And so, his natural instinct was awakened and simply becomes irrepressible too, breaking the long time withheld silent yearnings of his heart: to behold and possess those novelty reading materials I described which are all just within my reach.

Thus, I am entrusting him the following references:

1. The Writer’s Handbook 2004 – A premier compendium of writing techniques, inspiration, and advice.

2. Getting It Right – A survival guide to modern manners.

3. Better English – aims to help improve written and spoken English.

4. To Our Children’s Children – An attractive and engaging guidebook that makes recording a personal history as uncomplicated and easy as writing a letter.

5. Student’s Guidebook in Writing School Papers – Step by step process of writing various school papers can be found in this book.

6. Sample Social Speeches – A ready to use speech technique for all occasions.

7. Famous Speeches and Public Speaking – a handy collection of public speaking masterpieces of famous speakers.

I’m sure a lot of students in the academic community will be benefited should they be willingly lured into reading these references which are essentially instructional in form - aimed at improving not only their writing craft but also their spoken artistry.

These kind of information source books are Mr. Emerenciana’s personal choice. It is in view of his ultimate noble intention of incorporating them into his instructional tools inside the classroom. None the less, I’m quite certain it is also a subtle expression of sharing his love and appreciation of the literary arts, passing on to his students.

I am inspired by that gesture of him. And I think of growing old. And I remembered my old books, realizing they are also valuable treasures to keep, and worth enriching the volume as time
goes by.

And I wish someday, someday I will open my backyard with a mini-library filled with my lifetime collection of books. And I would invite Mr. Regalado A. Emerenciana, and bid him to bring those above-listed 7 book items with him to mingle with mine books, and together, we shall welcome the youth and olds alike, to inaugurate a READING CLUB under a tree.

I decided to make this an entry in my blog, to mark the significance of this small step in joint effort, our own humble way of propagating proficiency in reading and writing, as prelude to developing homegrown local writers.