‘Book’ comes from ‘boc’ in Old
English. It is a number of sheets of paper bound together. These sheets carry
writing or printing on them.
The first books were written on the
papyrus plant by the ancient Egyptians. (‘Paper’ has grown out of ‘papyrus’.)
For centuries there were only handwritten books. In 1455, the German inventor
of printing, Guttenburg, completely changed book production. (Incidentally, a ‘bookmaker’
has nothing to do with the making of books; it is a person whose business is to
take bets, as on horse races.)
Many have written on the importance of
books. One says that a good book is the precious life blood of a master spirit.
Another holds that it is the purest essence of a human soul. Yet another view
sees it as the best friends, the same today and forever. No doubt, the study of
books leads us to the study of mankind.
One has to pick and choose the books
that one decides to read. Their quality and relevance have to be well
considered. Some books are to be tasted; some are to be swallowed; and a few
are to be chewed and digested. Reading books is a ready way to learning. But
one is likely to become a ‘bookworm’ if one goes on reading too much.
The true foundation of a school,
college or university is a collection of books. In the living present, books
have largely been replaced by the mobile, computer, tablet and other devices.
Yet the legacy of books lingers on.
