Reading books can inspire teenagers to lead fulfilling lives

Herbert George Wells (1866-1946), the father of science fiction who is known for exciting works such as "The Time Machine," "The Invisible Man" and "The War of the Worlds," was born to a poor merchant family.

Wells had profound knowledge of civilization and sharp predictive insight, and his work, "The Outline of History," has been read by many intellectuals.

After graduating from commercial school, he worked as an apprentice to a tailor and an assistant pharmacist. He then obtained a scholarship to study to become a science teacher. His reading habits, inspired by his father, helped cultivate his versatility. He borrowed many books from libraries to read.

Seicho Matsumoto (1909-1992), who wrote a wide diversity of books -- from mystery novels to those on modern history and archeology -- was also born to a poor family. After graduating from higher elementary school under the old school system, Matsumoto joined an electric appliance manufacturer as a servant. While working, he was absorbed in reading literary works. When he went to a bank on the order of his boss, he took advantage of the long waiting time to read.

In his autobiography, Matsumoto wrote that he sympathized with the miserable lives described in Maxim Gorky's "The Lower Depths."

His employer never treated him preferentially because of his reading habits, and finally dismissed him.

"However," Matsumoto wrote. "I now believe the fact that I never wasted a moment not reading books when I was 16 to 18 -- the most susceptive age -- helped me a lot."

Matsumoto sometimes wandered in mountains similar to those described in Edgar Allan Poe's works. There are obviously many people who have had similar experiences. I also wandered around throughout night after reading Masuji Ibuse's "Black Rain," a novel about atomic bombing survivors.

A well-organized system to develop good reading habits is probably necessary. However, experiences of randomly reading many books during one's teens are also important.

Libraries play an important role in encouraging people to form such reading habits.

An article that Naoki Prize-winning novelist Tatsuro Dekune contributed to the Tokyo Shimbun daily's Oct. 29 evening edition under the title, "The Hibiya Library was my school," is inspiring.

"I was hired by a book store as a live-in worker after graduating from junior high school. I asked the store owner to allow me to go to night school. The owner then responded to me, 'Here are your schools. Each book is your school and your teacher,'" he wrote.

Dekune was convinced by his boss, but as he did not feel like a student at his workplace, he spent all his days off at the Hibiya Library in downtown Tokyo. While reading, he enthusiastically took notes and formed 100 such notebooks, from which he still sometimes reads.

"At that time, copying machines were not widespread, but I now know that I'm lucky that I didn't rely on copying machines," Dekune wrote.

This year is designated as the National Year of Reading, and the period from Oct. 27 to Nov. 9 is the annual "Book Weeks." Government and private organizations have launched various events and made recommendations on measures to promote reading among the public.

However, all I can say is how happy I am because of my memories of books I was absorbed in reading in my teens. (By Kenji Tamaki, Expert Senior Writer)