ID :
163885
Fri, 02/25/2011 - 07:20
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/163885
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Books Make a Perfect Gift
KUALA LUMPU (Bernama) - Someone special in your life is about to
celebrate his birthday soon, but you're still wondering what would make a
perfect gift.
How do you decide?
We usually want to get a gift that would be truly appreciated by the
reci pient. A good indicator of this would be their hobby or passion.
If getting a related item gets too difficult, the best way out would be a
book on the recipient's favourite pastime.
Illustrated books on popular hobbies like cooking, fishing, travel, pets and
sports are easy to find and collect. It can also be handed down from generation
to generation like an heirloom of knowledge.
If the recipient loves flower gardening, a book on the care of orchids may
be the gift we are looking for.
If we are not too sure of the recipient's tastes, world bestsellers may be
the way to go.
This could be popular favourites such as "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert T.
Kiyosaki, a book about smart financial management, or "Who Moved My Cheese" by
Spencer Johnson, which helps readers deal with drastic changes in their lives.
Enthusiasts of conspiracy theories may enjoy "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown,
which can make one question history, even though it was merely a work of
fiction.
A PRACTICAL GIFT
Books are also a perfect and relevant gift for any situation.
A person with limited mobility, such as a bedridden or wheelchair-bound
person may find books a good companion when things get too lonely. It can also
help overcome difficulties falling asleep.
Comics or illustrated books can be a blessing for parents of sick children,
especially for kids who have to undergo an unpleasant experience at the
hospital.
Reading together is not only entertaining but can also tighten the bond
between parents and their children.
Reading also actively engages a child's imagination, taking their minds off
the pain and improving their mood in the process.
Unlike toys, which children usually outlive, books can be kept until the
child is older and becomes a personal memento when the giver passes away.
"REGIFTING" A BOOK
Another good thing about books is that it is great for regifting. This is
especially handy when a person gets a book he does not particularly like as a
gift.
If one is given a book that is too technical or boring to read, it can be
regifted to any libraries that will accept the genre.
The book will get a new lease of life there, where it can be borrowed and
benefited by many others. A gift to the library is also a gift to the community.
EIGHT BOOKS A YEAR
While on the subject, Bernama asks the Director-General of the National
Library Ruslin Abu Bakar on the attitude of Malaysians towards books.
The latest study show that Malaysians between the ages of 10 and 40 read
between eight and 12 books a year.
The study, conducted last year on the profile of Malaysian readers, also
revealed that seniors read average six books a year, he says.
Generally, this is a favourable improvement compared to the average of only
two books read by a Malaysian a year in a 2005 study.
AN HOUR A DAY ROUTINE
Ruslin opines that the number of books that should be read by a person
depends on their individual preferences.
However, he recommends people to spend at least an hour a day reading.
"If you can spend an hour a day reading, on an average, you will be able to
finish a book a week.
"And if you keep it up, you'd be able to finish four books a month, and an
impressive 48 books a year," he says.
It cannot be denied that the figure would reflect an excellent reading habit
and the makings of an intelligent and open-minded community.
"The type of reading material is of personal preference, but it would be
best to select informative reading materials that can benefit our fields of
interest and improve ourselves.
"Furthermore, a person's worth is more reflected more through the quality of
the material he reads, not just the quantity," he says.
PUBLISHING LIKE A DEVELOPED COUNTRY
Ruslin also encourages Malaysians to write more to increase the number of
books published by the country.
"At the moment, the local publishing industry are only capable of producing
around 15,000 titles a year, which is far below the standards of a developed
country," he states.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(Unesco) has set the reasonable amount of publications by a country to be that
which equals to one per cent of the the nation's population. This requirement is
among the factors evaluated in awarding the status of a developed country.
"As the population of Malaysia is currently 28 million, this means the
country has to actively produce 28,000 titles a year," he explains, and hopes
the figured can be achieved before 2020.
MOTIVATION FOR FUTURE WRITERS
In a move towards the goal, the National Library is planning to host a
1Malaysia Writers Festival soon, aimed at polishing the potential of Malaysian
writers.
Ruslin says besides programmes like e-book workshops, the festival would
also pay special attention to teenagers aspiring to become authors.
Besides that, he says, the Information Communication and Culture Ministry is
also working to get funds to enable it to buy authors' works directly, making it
easier for writers to get their works published.
The Malaysian Book Industry Authority shows the value of book sales in
Malaysia in 2009 was RM2.1 billion (US$387,096), a figure quite remarkable.
We can do our bit to contribute to higher book sales and publishing by
buying them as a gift to someone.
With that said, who's birthday is up next?
celebrate his birthday soon, but you're still wondering what would make a
perfect gift.
How do you decide?
We usually want to get a gift that would be truly appreciated by the
reci pient. A good indicator of this would be their hobby or passion.
If getting a related item gets too difficult, the best way out would be a
book on the recipient's favourite pastime.
Illustrated books on popular hobbies like cooking, fishing, travel, pets and
sports are easy to find and collect. It can also be handed down from generation
to generation like an heirloom of knowledge.
If the recipient loves flower gardening, a book on the care of orchids may
be the gift we are looking for.
If we are not too sure of the recipient's tastes, world bestsellers may be
the way to go.
This could be popular favourites such as "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert T.
Kiyosaki, a book about smart financial management, or "Who Moved My Cheese" by
Spencer Johnson, which helps readers deal with drastic changes in their lives.
Enthusiasts of conspiracy theories may enjoy "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown,
which can make one question history, even though it was merely a work of
fiction.
A PRACTICAL GIFT
Books are also a perfect and relevant gift for any situation.
A person with limited mobility, such as a bedridden or wheelchair-bound
person may find books a good companion when things get too lonely. It can also
help overcome difficulties falling asleep.
Comics or illustrated books can be a blessing for parents of sick children,
especially for kids who have to undergo an unpleasant experience at the
hospital.
Reading together is not only entertaining but can also tighten the bond
between parents and their children.
Reading also actively engages a child's imagination, taking their minds off
the pain and improving their mood in the process.
Unlike toys, which children usually outlive, books can be kept until the
child is older and becomes a personal memento when the giver passes away.
"REGIFTING" A BOOK
Another good thing about books is that it is great for regifting. This is
especially handy when a person gets a book he does not particularly like as a
gift.
If one is given a book that is too technical or boring to read, it can be
regifted to any libraries that will accept the genre.
The book will get a new lease of life there, where it can be borrowed and
benefited by many others. A gift to the library is also a gift to the community.
EIGHT BOOKS A YEAR
While on the subject, Bernama asks the Director-General of the National
Library Ruslin Abu Bakar on the attitude of Malaysians towards books.
The latest study show that Malaysians between the ages of 10 and 40 read
between eight and 12 books a year.
The study, conducted last year on the profile of Malaysian readers, also
revealed that seniors read average six books a year, he says.
Generally, this is a favourable improvement compared to the average of only
two books read by a Malaysian a year in a 2005 study.
AN HOUR A DAY ROUTINE
Ruslin opines that the number of books that should be read by a person
depends on their individual preferences.
However, he recommends people to spend at least an hour a day reading.
"If you can spend an hour a day reading, on an average, you will be able to
finish a book a week.
"And if you keep it up, you'd be able to finish four books a month, and an
impressive 48 books a year," he says.
It cannot be denied that the figure would reflect an excellent reading habit
and the makings of an intelligent and open-minded community.
"The type of reading material is of personal preference, but it would be
best to select informative reading materials that can benefit our fields of
interest and improve ourselves.
"Furthermore, a person's worth is more reflected more through the quality of
the material he reads, not just the quantity," he says.
PUBLISHING LIKE A DEVELOPED COUNTRY
Ruslin also encourages Malaysians to write more to increase the number of
books published by the country.
"At the moment, the local publishing industry are only capable of producing
around 15,000 titles a year, which is far below the standards of a developed
country," he states.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(Unesco) has set the reasonable amount of publications by a country to be that
which equals to one per cent of the the nation's population. This requirement is
among the factors evaluated in awarding the status of a developed country.
"As the population of Malaysia is currently 28 million, this means the
country has to actively produce 28,000 titles a year," he explains, and hopes
the figured can be achieved before 2020.
MOTIVATION FOR FUTURE WRITERS
In a move towards the goal, the National Library is planning to host a
1Malaysia Writers Festival soon, aimed at polishing the potential of Malaysian
writers.
Ruslin says besides programmes like e-book workshops, the festival would
also pay special attention to teenagers aspiring to become authors.
Besides that, he says, the Information Communication and Culture Ministry is
also working to get funds to enable it to buy authors' works directly, making it
easier for writers to get their works published.
The Malaysian Book Industry Authority shows the value of book sales in
Malaysia in 2009 was RM2.1 billion (US$387,096), a figure quite remarkable.
We can do our bit to contribute to higher book sales and publishing by
buying them as a gift to someone.
With that said, who's birthday is up next?
