Five books that read like television channels

As a Television personality for many years, it used to come to many persons as a surprise that my television viewing is pretty post-modern. It has been so for a very long time because I am not one for sitting down in front of the television for longish hours. Five books buzzing right now Foundation […]

As a Television personality for many years, it used to come to many persons as a surprise that my television viewing is pretty post-modern.

It has been so for a very long time because I am not one for sitting down in front of the television for longish hours.

Five books buzzing right now

Foundation donates 22,000 books to Kaduna schools

I like breaks. I also love *List of stories published, pls.* so I am a binge-watcher dipping in and out of different channels for the most appropriate programme that will catch my attention.

In that respect, I am a little bit like millennials.

The first five minutes in true Television parlance must grab me and if that hook is not there, then I am going to wonder off to another channel.

Today there are so many options, video on demand, over the top content, online channels, and traditional TV stations as well as pay TV.

In solidarity with my fellow TV binge watchers I am dedicating this column to books that read like TV channels.

Books that do not only have one point of view or one long story.

I am not only deviating from the novel which sometimes can feel like heavy reading if it does not have exciting and racy content but going to short stories and non-fiction memoirs or stories as they are now referred.

I will read a book above a movie and go to the movies from time to time.

But I will stay if the movie grabs me.

I have decided to share with you today the kind of books I am reading in this difficult time.

Rather than give up reading completely because of the troubles of the world, let’s all read in drips, binge- read if you will where you can start from one channel and flip to another, where you can start from one story in the middle of the book and then go to the last story in the book.

This is reading by freestyling and it suits me just fine at such a time like this.

I am not obliged to read the whole book through to get meaning.

Each chapter or story is complete in itself and often it gives you a quick fix without disrupting your day and you can go back to any portion of it in the course of the day or the following week. I love.

Here is my selection.

1. I am re-reading American superstar and Hollywood diva, Gabrielle Union’s book, We’re going to need more wine.

The chapters are as hilarious as they are heart-warming and you can read them in bits and drips.

From becoming a step mother to the number of men she has dated to marrying the wrong man and being raped at work. Gabrielle’s book is all heart.

I am enjoying it better than the first time I read it because I am flipping it like a TV channel. Fantastic.

Warning. Some of the content may not be suitable for 16 years old sand under.

Parental advisory.

 

2. Nocturnes by prize winning author Kazuo Ishiguro.

This is his debut short story collection which is tied around stories of love, loss, night and music.

A truly nimble collection to be read slowly and savoured like good food. In fact, this is my favourite work by the author.

 

3. I am re-reading Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s The thing around your neck.

Short stories to die for.

I can read one short story on Monday and not touch the book again until Sunday and the one I read will last me the whole week because it was a complete story.

Then also the pieces are like conversations with an old friend and the settings are fairly familiar.

The characters all seem familiar as if they live down your street, each story is unique and easy to read.

Like flipping a Television channel, you can choose where you go to next and when.

It really is about your own control.

Absolutely brilliant to have that option.

 

4. Any book by Malcolm Gladwell where each story is a stand-alone.

Be prepared however for research because in the non-fiction journalistic genre, Malcolm Gladwell never disappoints.

He is just phenomenal at his craft.

I love how he draws you into the book by challenges and mind games and then solves the challenges and brings the true stories to life with incredible research.

Here is a journalist who has taken non-fiction to a whole new level and winning accolades to boot.

I am not sure which was my favourite, what the dog saw or David and Goliath.

I have read all of Gladwells books except the newest and have a collection. It’s hard to choose.

Each book is liquid gold.

 

5. So this week we are being a little immodest.

If you have never read “In the blink of an Eye” by Eugenia Abu, here is your chance to find it.

A collection of over 8o0 essays, we bring you interviews, the discourse on Beijing, a discussion tongue in cheek about men and other such hilarious natter.

I am re-reading it drip by drip and I daresay, it feels good.