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Ibrahim Tahir (Founder)My first memory of actually sitting down and finishing a book from cover to cover was in Primary 2, in 1982. My first reading role-model was my elder brother. He didn’t tell me to read, but I saw him reading so I wanted to be like him. He was the one who made me realise that you can read for pleasure – the sheer frenzied joy of following a really good story. Over time, I saw that there are other modes of reading in addition to reading for pleasure, namely reading for purpose, reading to learn, reading as contemplation, reading for inspiration, and reading to understand. Books are a major part of my personal and professional life, and it is a privilege to serve readers of all stripes every single day. |
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AlzarinaI grew up on radio and books. There was always music and reading materials. At home there was always Her World, Life,Time, Readers Digest and the endless Enid Blyton books. Never a dull moment. |
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SulaimanI grew up in a home of readers and book lovers, my mother studied literature in her university days and my late father had an interest in the world of arts, design, and culture. All this had an influence on how I saw the world. Even so, my reading habits developed late due to my teens and twenties being spent less on books and more with cassette/CD players, reading comic books and the latest rock, indie music & hip hop magazines. This was all before the era of social media. As I got older the interest and love for reading was renewed and a new world of knowledge, lessons, stories, insights, and wisdoms began to open. I was taught that to read is to seek and discover and this guides me in my reading and learning journey. |
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FadhilahI've been a bookworm for as long as I can remember. As a child I would often disappear for hours on end in fictional worlds. As I got older, I began to read more non-fiction in a bid to understand the world we live in. These days, the books I reach out for are about the world within, and in preparation of the world that is to come. Books are gateways to a different place, a different time, a different mind, a different you. Alhamdulillah. |
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AisyahThe one thing that I made sure to have in my picture were the badges on my apron. The art of illusion is to have so many that people would not know when you add or remove them. I just like to have fun with them. You are the company you keep. The people you choose to be in your life is important. 4 most important people around me - father, mother, brother and grandfather - are huge and avid readers. If they are not listening to music, there are listening to podcasts, and almost every time, they have a book in hand. My favourite time seeing my parent read is while they wait for their other half come back from a long day from work, almost every time, they have a book on their left and a pot of Irish tea on their right. I thank Allah for these small and consistent things in life. May we choose the company we keep wisely. |
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FarahThe reality of you being your children’s mirror and seeing them adopt the reflection you give is a revelation I’m witnessing unfold beautifully in front of me. I find myself sowing the same seeds of love for reading to my children as how my mother used to do for me. She would read to me from the womb, bringing me to the library on all her off days, and spending most of our time together behind our fort of books. She taught me how to read deeply, to immerse myself in an intimate emotional dimension. I can enter into the feelings, thoughts, and imaginings of others so much so that it taught me a particular kind of empathy. I loved the idea of being in the comfort of my private world but still having the capacity to feel and communicate with another. As I am reading, I leave myself and return having changed emotionally and intellectually, sometimes feeling strengthened or broadened. I will always be grateful for this gift that knows no end. Sharing these moments now with my kids, I pray it carries on with them and hopefully build generations of book lovers to come. |