What I Read Over the Years

I love to read. Most probably it's a habit I get from my parents who read a lot. Or perhaps it was due to a British teacher's advice to my parents that has created the culture in my family. She is the principal of one of the kindergartens I attended. Mrs Pereira, I can still remember her name. She told my parents that if they want me to have a good foundation in the English Language, they should encourage me to read as much as possible. That was when my reading adventures started. I was 6 years old.


PRESCHOOL YEARS

My parents bought me LADYBIRD books. Mostly fairy tales such as:

• Three Billy Goats Gruff
• Puss in Boots
• The Pied Piper
• The Stone Soup
• The Snow Queen

I was introduced to a Malay language magazine called BINTANG KECIL. That was because I was enrolled to a national school where the medium of teaching would be in Malay. 

ELEMENTARY YEARS

I was further introduced to another two Malay Language magazin
es: 

• Kuntum 
• Dewan Pelajar 

I also started reading Malay Language story books, mostly Malay versions of

• Enid Blyton's The Famous Five
• Nancy Drew's mysteries series
• Hardy Boys

We also had a 365 days story book which we read every night before bed. 

It was also during my elementary years when I started reading newspapers. The one that I read was in Malay, Utusan Malaysia. 

SECONDARY YEARS

I moved on to higher levels of Malay Language magazines:

• Dewan Siswa
• Pelita Bahasa

I also started reading 

• Sweet Valley High

Due to influence from a classmate who loves to read about fashion and celebrities, I started reading women's magazines too. 

I had a strong interest in dreams so I read a number of books related to dreams and their interpretations. 

COLLEGE YEARS

Here, I started reading English papers because I was studying in the Philippines (and of course, Malay papers won't be available there) alternating between:

• The Philippine Star
• The Philippine Daily Inquirer 

My sister who also read novels, used to rent a few books at one time and I would read them. I couldn't remember the books that I read though, I remember they were mostly on romance.

AFTER I STARTED TO WORK AND EARN MY OWN INCOME

After graduation, I returned to Malaysia and started working.

Occasionally, I would read

Not long after that, I stumbled upon Sophie Kinsella's Confessions of a Shopaholic and from then onwards, I was her fan. I also loved Marian Keyes' books.

Some of the other books I read, just to name a few:

• Rich Dad, Poor Dad
• Who Moved My Cheese 
• Princess Orchid by Anchee Min
• The Lass Empress by Anchee Min
• Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
• My Name Is Hasmah by Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali

I think I have grown out of chick lit books but I would still read some of Sophie Kinsella's if I find the story interesting. The last book of hers that I read was "My Not So Perfect Life" and I love it!

Occasionally, I would get myself a copy of Cleo or the Malaysian Women's Weekly. 

Of course, other than reading books and magazines, I read a lot online too. Like daily devotions and parenting articles to recipes and gardening. 

What about you? What do you like to read about? Do share with us the books that you find interesting. Perhaps we would like to check them out too! 

Happy reading!