IN today’s fast-paced life, we need to run just to be able to stay in the same place. Knowledge and information are growing at faster and faster rates with the development of technology to access them. In this fiercely competitive work environment, knowledge is power. We need to exercise our brains and broaden our horizons by keeping abreast of the latest developments in the world at large. And while television and the Internet do help in this direction, reading is extremely essential if you want to get ahead successfully.

Reading is more important today than it ever was — it is crucial to being an informed citizen, to succeed in one's chosen career, and to personal fulfillment. Remember when people thought technology would decrease the need to read? In fact, technology has increased our need to read. You have more access to text than ever, more specialised magazines, more books being published, more newspapers and more articles to read on the Internet.

Parallel reading

Those aspiring for the civil services or the management entrance exams require to do intensive reading. Information about the country, general knowledge and current social and economic issues are subjects you should be well versed in. Whether you are a student or a professional, unemployed or employed, successful or still struggling, your reading skill is one of the requisites you can work on. This does not only include reading about your field of work, or fiction for relaxation, but a great deal of what can be termed, parallel reading. This broadly includes material for expanding your general knowledge and reasoning skills, improving your vocabulary; even reading fiction but more essentially, reading to broaden your mind and vision, to take on the world.

Purposeful reading

In general, the reading materials recommended include:

The daily newspapers: Read at least two, for staying in touch with developments the world over, in all areas and for enhancing your general knowledge.

Newsmagazines and other prominent periodicals: Read them for the analyses of news and for information on events and developments the world over, in all areas, and for enhancing your general knowledge.

Editors’ columns in newspapers: They help in improving your general awareness of current issues, and in forming your opinions.

Competition magazines: They help a great deal in expanding your general knowledge and reasoning skills. A must-read if you plan to appear for any of the competitive exams.

Employment newspapers: These periodicals give information on job openings, examination and admission alerts, as well as developments in the world of work

Encyclopaedias are good to have as part of your collection because there is a lot of relevant information in these that you can consult from time to time as required.

Readers Digest: It contains good ‘soul’ stories and exercises for improving your language skills and vocabulary;

Thesaurus for improving your language skills and vocabulary;

Fiction: Don’t give up on reading fiction because that too is important. Contemporary fiction (not just Harry Potter!) is a reflection of society and the general social psyche. For a suggested reading list, check out newsmagazines or weekend editions of your newspapers for book reviews and lists of popular fiction and non-fiction.

Fiction facts

It is also good to regularly read the classics, from Charles Dickens to E.M. Forster, and also some of the contemporary Indian authors such as Arundhati Roy, Vikram Seth, Amitav Ghosh and others. Reading fiction helps us enter the minds and thoughts of other great minds. It exposes us to values, emotions and points of view that enrich us in more ways than we know.

Reading is fun. Reading is exciting. A good book lets you go places and do things all by yourself without anyone else tagging along. You can join Frodo and the Hobbits on their travels through Middle Earth (Lord of the Rings), visit Rebecca at Manderlay and solve mysteries with Hercule Poirot. Reading is full of adventure too. You can fight the British with Shivaji, sail the Atlantic Ocean with Christopher Columbus, and accompany Mahatma Gandhi on the salt march. Anything is possible when you read a good book.

Specialised subjects

There are also a lot of specialised books and magazines on business, education and careers available today and self-improvement manuals that are a good source of self-help. Shiv Khera and Stephen Covey offer excellent advice on how to succeed at work, while the ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ series provides insights on life and living.

Moreover, the Internet is a great blessing today. And surfing the Net for information on all imaginable areas would be a good idea. There are a large number of websites today that provide information, not just on education or careers, but also information on various aspects of general knowledge, current affairs, and any career or any topic of interest. You would be surprised how much free information is out there if you just take the time to look for it and read. People who are successful and have made a fortune are only too happy to share their experience and knowledge with you. If you have a love for reading, you can already predict your professional success. So, no matter which business you are in, or what work you are doing, you can create a successful future for yourself by simply reading.

Happy reading!