I can't Sit on the Loo without a Book, the World would Stop
Esi Arhin • October 26, 2020
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” Joseph Addison
I love to read. Reading is a habit I picked from my Dad at an early age. My father had a stack of newspapers and copies of readers digest magazine piled up on the top of the toilet tank.
Growing up I knew that the surface of the toilet tank was for newspapers and readers digests. This is just the way it is.
My father never walked into the washroom without a book in hand.
Sitting on the toilet with nothing to do bored me so somehow, I got into the habit of taking pages out of the newspaper to look at pictures and read the captions. Naturally I progressed from reading captions to actually attempting to read the articles. I read out loud.
Whenever I struggled with a word I could not pronounce I would bring the paper out of the loo when my business was done to ask my mum or Dad, whoever was available to teach me how to pronounce the word.
I soon fell in love with Reader's Digest and left the newspapers well alone. Laughter, the best Medicine had me smitten.
Since my Dad got regular copies I kept up with reading the magazine. To date I remain endeared to it. I learned to read so much that I would often lead class readings at school even when we took turns I was allowed a longer read.
When I meet words on a page an immediate attraction occurs. I become the words and words become me.
I've travelled many places through books over the years.
In my teens, I would be up reading late at night until my mom insisted I turn my bedroom lights off. She sometimes had to enforce this sternly. When a book was good I just could not put it down until I got to very end.
I earned the nickname " bookworm" in high school. It never bothered me. I was caught reading under my desk quite a number of times in class when the teacher was teaching a subject I did not particularly liked. This earned me a few detentions. Nevertheless I was undeterred.
Over the years although I've not had the liberty of time to read as much as I would love to, I've still kept up the habit. Can I ever stop?
Reading books set in different countries and locations has given me knowledge of diverse cultures. This has enabled me to connect both spiritually and emotionally to characters I've encountered in the world of books whose lives I perceive and relate to real people who live.
LM Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series so empowered me to dare to be myself, to speak my mind and just be. The character Anne who couldn't bare to see her name spelt without an “e” forever remains my bosssom friend.
Another one of the many books whose world I wholely travelled is Magnolia Buildings by Elizabeth Stucley, a book we read for English literature studies in second year of high school. My teacher Mrs Harvey made the book come alive as she led us in the discussion of it.
I've had the opportuinity to travel a few countries. I look forward to travelling the world a bit more. In the meantime, I shall content myself exploring the world through books, learning new ideas, people and cultures.
Loving books as I do, it became a passion to review the books I read. My passion for reviewing books stems from the high school required exercise of writing a summary of the books we read and then rating it.
Finally I've got this blog!
I hope I can engage you with my thoughts as much as countless amazing authors who through their work, have opened up new and exciting worlds to me.
If you are an avid reader like I am, then catch me here once a week and journey with me into the world of books on thoughts from the loo.
Come, on be my reading buddy, let's let loose. My latest read is “I AM THAT”, "a modern spiritual classic", described as a collection of timeless teaching of one of India's greatest sages, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.
I shall share bits and pieces of it here with you.
Esi's Blog
Ama Ata Aidoo's The Days , a picture book for children is a delight to read. Illustrated by Albert Buete Puplumpu, the book offers relatable descriptions of days of the week and their unique characters in a fun way. The theme of differences and similarities resonates clearly. The author employs the use of rhythm, rhyme, repetition and imagery to deploy the story. In comparison to how days behave, it plays on the characteristics of animals and things to enforce its message while encouraging children in an unsuspecting way to apply their mathematical skills. The simplicity of style and subject makes it an easy read for young children. At the same time, it holds a certain appeal for adults because of the subliminal meaning portrayed for those who understand the battles fought in daily existence. This book explores the possibilities in each day, painting a picture of life and its unpredictability in general. It assures the young that differences are normal and in fact to be expected. For adult readers it reinforces our knowledge and understanding of daily life challenges, leaving a sense of balance. The performance potential it holds is most exciting. Each day's character stares the imagination and evokes an actor in the reader. The colourful illustrations depict familiar images in ethereal bliss, typically that of the old village wall. The front cover captures the theme beautifully. It shows the different characters of days by seamlessly fusing together colours symbolizing the differences in days. The illustrations are very effective in enhancing the story. Although "Each day has hours of ten, ten and four..." "All the days are not equal" indeed. Children are sure to be entertained and learn about diversity. I'm enamored! The Days is far more than a good read. Children, gather round!
Navrongo, the capital town of the Kassena-Nankani district lies south of Paga, the main border crossing between Ghana and Burkina Faso. It sits at the tropical Savannah belt, Upper East of Ghana. I first made my way there sometime in September 2002 through a friend who couldn’t believe I had lived all 27 years of my life in southern Ghana, never having traveled up north. He insisted I needed the exposure and so he dragged me with him. He said I had not lived If I had not seen the sun rise on the Tono dam. So, one fine morning at 5:00 am, I jumped into his pick-up truck, and we headed up north where he had made a home away from fanteland. It was the longest road trip I had ever embarked on at the time, 15 hours on the road to be precise. Takeaway the breaks we took at Kumasi, Kintapo and Tamale. I barely noticed the hours pass as we chatted all the way with the company of Fela Kuti and Bob Marley playing in the background on repeat. To this day, the ride to Navrongo remains one of the fondest memories I have of traveling Ghana for work or leisure. This part of the country is home to two ethnic groups, the Kassims and the Nakanas. Historically, it is said that these two ethnic groups have had relative independence because the Ashantis didn't invade them. However certain treaties established by the British in 1898 an Anglo-French convention came up with an agreement to divide the lands. The Kassims and Nankanas were subsequently separated from their relatives who today live across the border, Burkina Faso. Older indigens of Navrongo know it as Navoro, which means (to put your foot down on soft ground). Today, the town is indeed soft ground to live and explore what new opportunities it has to offer, including access to tertiary education locally. The siting of Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences campus to the township has brought much warmth to the once laid back and very quiet town. Yet, it still remains relatively calm in comparison to Bolgatanga which is 30 kilometers away by road, about 40 minutes’ drive. It is an important market town in the area. The people are mainly subsistence farmers and rearers of cattle and goat. Navrongo is known for its famous mud-built cathedral and grotto, Our Lady of Seven Sorrows. Although it doesn't haven many formally designated places of tourist attraction, it is by its character a great attraction. The warmth of the people, the native architecture, fabrics, the market, the guinea fowl joints, the easy connection between humans and cattle in full glare, make up a total unique culture for experiencing. Marked places of interests in addition to the mud-built cathedral are the Tono dam, which is one of the largest agricultural dams in West Africa, also the first ever solar plantation and the health research centre. It is awesome to watch the sun rise ever so gracefully on the Tono dam.The rising of the sun is said to symbolise the journey of the sun in the sky. At about 5:00 am one morning my host and I set off on a drive to see the famous sunrise on Tono dam. The joy of watching the sunrise on the dam is next to none, with nature at its best early morning. The sun’s golden rays added a burnt orange colour to the smoky clouds. A small ball of light emerged from the sky at first. It then slowly starts to get bigger and illuminate. As if on cue birds began to chirp in glorification of the glow of the orange goddess. Its beauty is beyond description, I cannot do it justice. Suddenly, out of the blue it bursts out into a gleaming ball expanding at a moment's look. The first rays are gentle and soft on the eyes. It is a rare joy, eternally etched in memory. I have seen many a sunrise over the years but this one was magnificent, just as my host promised. It was worth every bit of the journey. One thing I found most fascinating is the hand production of ethnic fabrics by the women of Navorongo. They grow and eat their own food. They make their own beer(pito), their own beauty products from largely local materials. They build their homes with their bare hands also with local materials. They made ordinary what appeared phenomenal to me. There are some fairly decent guest houses and lodges to stay in, especially for low budget travelers. Moving around is not difficult, there are taxies and motor cars available for hire as well as collective rides. For a fun night, there are lots of drinking spots and bars to hang out and dig into some well spiced charcoal grilled guinea fowl or beef kebabs. You may sample grilled guinea fowl in as many grilling spots as you like. That is a sport in itself. I've had several opportunities to return to Navrongo after my first visit. With each visit the land and it’s people grow on me. Memories of Navrongo call. Nearly two decades after my first trip there, my heart still misses a beat at the mention of her name. Could it also be that the face of that handsome Kassim man still smiles on me?