₦airaland Forum

Jarus:
This is my greatest literary shortcoming. I don't read more than newspapers, and sometimes magazines. I also glance through a number of interesting books on history of Nigerian politics, especially between indepence till now, but they are not usually more than 50 pages.

I read newspapers a lot, from primary school, and till now. But that is the end.

I respect people that are wide-read and try to be like them. I am a public affairs commentator but my very limited knowledge of history and systems doesn't make my writings rich enough to my satisfaction.

I like to be knowledgeable in history, international politics(I'm a little versed in local politics), philosophy, and in fact every field of knowledge, even if little, but I'm not comfortable with my current knowledge. I don't read novels too, neither do I watch films. I know a little about football, that's all.

I won't say I'm lazy but I think it's more of lack of interest. I try to develop interest, but it just isn't coming. I bought Obama' Audacity of Hope at teh Airport in December, and till today, six montsh after, I have not read twenty pages.


I want to be wide read. How do I go about it!!!!!

Hmmm. . . .me thinks the OP's problem is he started off reading with the wrong books (newspapers, magazines) and ön the serious issues (politics, history, ecönomics etc). Now his reading interests/range is fixed and he can't seem to break out of it. Besides, he didn't follow the right pathway, lol. He should have started with the mundane fairy tale novels (Enid Blyton), grown into the mystery novels (Famous Five, Secret Seven, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Agatha Christie,James Hardly Chase  etc), picked up the mature fictional novels (Frederick Forsyth, Jeffrey Archer, John Grisham, Dan Brown etc), read autobiographies/biographies, Motivational/Inspirational books before reading books/newspapers on the more serious issues like history, politics and economics.   

Op needs to start reading novels and watching films tøo. Although novels and movies are not always historically accurate, you can pick up a lot from them.

Frederick Forsyth for example  writes fictional novels on espionage & international politics and his works have covered historical issues such as the Biafra War, The Jewish Holocaust, the Cuban Missile Crisis, The Cold War & the Nuclear Arms race, The Balkanization of the Soviet States, The Falkland War, Israel-Arab conflict & the six-day war, etc etc. It was his reference to these cónflicts that piqued my interest and made me do my own independent reading to bring myself up to speed on them. Now I read everything under the sun leisurely except academic texts.   


TV & Movies also help. . . .Op can learn a lot from historical documentaries & movies such as The Last King of Scotland, The Great Debaters, Malcolm X, Pearl Habour, Cry Freedom, Sarafina etc.

ALL these will stimulate his interest and expand his areas of reading.

Hmm. . .why be se una nor informate me?

Se una don embark on anoda rhyming spree
Anyhow sha, e go be big-big crime
Make I show face & nor drop some rhyme
But 1st make I throway salute to my Ogas
Maedan wey dey drop ogbonge rhymes from Overs
And Ruudie & Olulu wey dey rep the home-based
Cos una rhymes sweet like bread wey dey honey-laced
And if not for una, dis thread for don die tey tey
Make una continue to dey pave & light the way
Una do well and very soon una go chop the pay