Don’t read those books, son!

One concerned mother writes a letter cautioning her son against falling prey to evil elements out to scramble his mind through the books they write.

COMMENT

By Sheela R

Dear son,

Congratulations on entering a prestigious university based in the north. I hear that you have been handed a reading list for this semester, filled with biographies of prominent persons.

Here is a list of books that you might want to avoid: should these, by some ironic twist of fate, form part of your recommended reading list:

1. “My experience with Truth” written by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in the 1920s. Detractors will tell you that this is an insightful biography of Gandhi’s early childhood, religious experiences and the struggle for India’s independence.

Never mind that it was also rated as the top 100 best spiritual books of the 20st century.

This book should be scrupulously avoided by all means, as a mere reading of it might encourage a person to permanently wear a dhoti or turn vegetarian.

2. “A long walk to freedom” by Nelson Mandela chronicles his early childhood, transition to adulthood and almost three decades of incarceration in his quest for equal rights.

Son, although this book won the Alan Paton award for literary excellence and has been translated into numerous languages, I suggest you give this book a miss as well.

Mr. Mandela mentions befriending communists and there is every likelihood, reading this book might just turn a person into one (communist).

3. “The diary of a young girl” by Ann Frank. One might be tempted to regard this book as a testament of the atrocities committed by the Nazis.

Nevertheless, avoid this work like the plague, as it was written when Ann was on the threshold of adolescence. Her references to a budding sexual awareness, might just lead one astray and delve straight into pornography.

Son, one might argue that biographies serve as a record of a person’s life and only sheer stupidity or extreme paranoia would cause one to view biographies as an insidious read, waiting to weaken your faith.

Don’t you believe a word of it. Why recently, a poor chap’s mind was deeply affected by the reading of a local politician’s biography.

Instead of all that reading, I would suggest you do something else; like watch a never-ending array of cute cat videos on YouTube but I hesitate to do so. Why? I am convinced those videos are out to proselytise you into embracing animism.

Until we meet during the next semester break,

Your loving parent

Sheela R is an FMT reader.