Why Reading Books Is Worth Every Penny
Central Library Cape Town Step into a world of books and discover infinite lives, wisdom and wonder bound between the pages. An invitation to wander through stories that expand the mind and stir the soul.
Later, the Central Library in Cape Town became my sanctuary. It was a vast, living archive where I wandered the aisles, finding books that challenged my thoughts, held my attention, or made me rethink everything I knew. These weren't just pages; they were the remnants of lives lived, struggles faced and creativity unleashed.
My journey began with a library card. School libraries were my first escape routes—no cost, no gatekeeping, just shelves brimming with ideas. I would pull out whatever caught my eye: dinosaurs one week, ancient myths the next, and then a strange novel that left me with more questions than answers. I loved that feeling of discovery.
She wasn't wrong. Books often come with hefty price tags, but the value they provide is immeasurable. Reading has the power to change your life and it doesn't have to cost a fortune.
' Books are so expensive!' My friend exclaimed, her voice echoing through the bookstore as she clutched a paperback, feeling betrayed by its price.
Reading connects us to people who have experienced full, complex lives. Nelson Mandela read in prison to keep his mind sharp and his spirit intact. Barack Obama credits books with helping him govern with empathy and depth. Oprah Winfrey built a movement around reading, offering stories that reflected and elevated people's experiences. Elon Musk claimed he learned how to build rockets through reading.
They all understood something crucial: reading is not merely consumption; it is expansion.
'The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.' – Dr. Seuss 'A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.' – George R. R. Martin
Books can inspire, challenge, comfort and disrupt. They force you to slow down and offer silence when the world is loud. They ask you to pay attention—not to notifications, but to yourself.
Reading sharpens your mind, fosters empathy and enhances discernment. It invites you to wrestle with complexity, history and human nature. That kind of learning is never a waste.
The best part? You don't need to spend a cent. Libraries remain free, and apps like Libby or Borrow Box allow you to check out books digitally. There are second-hand bookstores, book swaps and friends with overflowing shelves.
So yes, while books may be expensive, reading is one of the most generous things you can do for your mind and soul. It requires time and attention, but it rewards you with perspective, vocabulary, self-awareness and imagination. It deepens your inner world, enabling you to navigate the outer one more effectively.
If you've been feeling restless or uninspired, perhaps what you need isn't more noise—it's a good book.
Reading won't fix everything, but it will expand everything. And that's a very good place to start.
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IOL News
4 days ago
- IOL News
Why Reading Books Is Worth Every Penny
Central Library Cape Town Step into a world of books and discover infinite lives, wisdom and wonder bound between the pages. An invitation to wander through stories that expand the mind and stir the soul. Later, the Central Library in Cape Town became my sanctuary. It was a vast, living archive where I wandered the aisles, finding books that challenged my thoughts, held my attention, or made me rethink everything I knew. These weren't just pages; they were the remnants of lives lived, struggles faced and creativity unleashed. My journey began with a library card. School libraries were my first escape routes—no cost, no gatekeeping, just shelves brimming with ideas. I would pull out whatever caught my eye: dinosaurs one week, ancient myths the next, and then a strange novel that left me with more questions than answers. I loved that feeling of discovery. She wasn't wrong. Books often come with hefty price tags, but the value they provide is immeasurable. Reading has the power to change your life and it doesn't have to cost a fortune. ' Books are so expensive!' My friend exclaimed, her voice echoing through the bookstore as she clutched a paperback, feeling betrayed by its price. Reading connects us to people who have experienced full, complex lives. Nelson Mandela read in prison to keep his mind sharp and his spirit intact. Barack Obama credits books with helping him govern with empathy and depth. Oprah Winfrey built a movement around reading, offering stories that reflected and elevated people's experiences. Elon Musk claimed he learned how to build rockets through reading. They all understood something crucial: reading is not merely consumption; it is expansion. 'The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.' – Dr. Seuss 'A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.' – George R. R. Martin Books can inspire, challenge, comfort and disrupt. They force you to slow down and offer silence when the world is loud. They ask you to pay attention—not to notifications, but to yourself. Reading sharpens your mind, fosters empathy and enhances discernment. It invites you to wrestle with complexity, history and human nature. That kind of learning is never a waste. The best part? You don't need to spend a cent. Libraries remain free, and apps like Libby or Borrow Box allow you to check out books digitally. There are second-hand bookstores, book swaps and friends with overflowing shelves. So yes, while books may be expensive, reading is one of the most generous things you can do for your mind and soul. It requires time and attention, but it rewards you with perspective, vocabulary, self-awareness and imagination. It deepens your inner world, enabling you to navigate the outer one more effectively. If you've been feeling restless or uninspired, perhaps what you need isn't more noise—it's a good book. Reading won't fix everything, but it will expand everything. And that's a very good place to start.
IOL News
15-06-2025
- IOL News
My greatest regret as a father
BEING a father is no easy road - but it does comes with bountiful rewards. As dads all over South Africa prepare for Father's Day celebrations on Sunday, they will look forward to being pampered by their children and loved ones for being their protector, nurturer, care-giver, supporter and role model. Their hearts will swell with pride as their children shower them with little gifts, boundless love and undivided attention on this special day. As we raise our glasses to all fathers and father figures on Sunday, let's spare a thought for those not fortunate to have enjoyed the just rewards of a rich family life. And one of the most prominent and revered among such fathers was ironically the Father of the Nation himself - our first democratic president, Nelson Mandela. Mandela chose a noble and courageous mission in life - to fight on behalf of all his people against injustice and racial subjugation in the country of his birth. But it came at a serious personal cost. Because he was constantly hounded by the apartheid police and eventually jailed on Robben Island for 27 years, he struggled to balance his family life and the fight for freedom. There were long periods when, through circumstances beyond his control, he was forced to be away from home, missing the warmth and joys of a bonding family experience. In his book A Long Walk to Freedom, he lamented the painful failure of his two marriages and expressed regret about the emotional trauma this caused his children. His commitment to the ANC struggle to end apartheid meant he was unable to enjoy a normal and stable family life. "It seems to be the destiny of freedom fighters to have unstable family lives "When your life is in the struggle like mine was, there is little room left for family. This has always been my greatest regret and the most painful aspect of the choice I made. We watched our children grow without our guidance." Despite the toll on his personal life, Mandela always strove to be remembered as a family man and cultivated relationships with his children, grandchildren and great-grand children in later years of his life. As he said in his book: "To be the father of a nation is a great honour but to be the father of a family is a greater joy. But it was a joy I had far little of." Please take time to remember all fathers on Sunday To all those dads out there who believe Father's Day was initiated by men to honour their role in family life, I have news for you. Father's Day was in fact initiated by a woman. The story goes that a woman called Sonora Smart Dodd from Spokane in Washington in the US first proposed the celebration of Father's Day in 1909, after listening to a Mother's Day sermon in church, which made her think longingly about her father, William Jackson Smart, who had single-handedly raised her and her siblings after the sudden death of her mother. So inspired was she about the need to honour dedicated fathers like her own, she began campaigning publicly to establish Father's Day as a partner to Mother's Day. Reports say the idea of celebrating Father's Day did not get off to a roaring start. Many people viewed it as unnecessary - just another commercial gimmick. In fact, it took several decades before it began to become officially recognised in countries across the globe. In South Africa, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June. Most families get the opportunity to spend the day together, enjoying a hearty meal at home or a restaurant, going out for a picnic, a walk on the beachfront or setting up a braai. It's a great opportunity to celebrate and focus on the pivotal role fathers play in a family and building a stronger and more stable society. Last stop By the way, do you know why some dads take a ladder along when they go to the pub on Father's Day? Someone told them drinks are on the house.
The Herald
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- The Herald
The man who started it all
And just three years later he was still teaching when he and friend John Philip set the wheels in motion in a joint newspaper venture, with Paterson as publisher and Philip as printer. It would be almost 100 years though ( 92 years to be exact) before The Herald started publishing news on its front page. 'On behalf of John Paterson's descendants I would like to congratulate the Eastern Province Herald newspaper on its 180th birthday,' his great-great grandson Gordon Paterson, who lives in New Zealand, said on the occasion of the newspaper's 180th anniversary. He said Paterson and Philip had established the newspaper on May 7 1845 to contribute to the development of the fledgling city. 'Paterson, having the heart of an educator, knew the newspaper was a medium through which city service entities and infrastructure could be promoted and established. 'Productive citizenship and service to the community could be encouraged, as could entrepreneurship and enterprise which would develop the economic welfare and standard of living within the city.' Paterson said the book, One Titan at a Time (published in 1960), which documents the life and times of John Paterson, was a source of pride for the Paterson family and a 'challenge for us all to live productive lives as our forefather did'. He said: 'Speaking on the occasion of the 150th birthday of this remarkable newspaper, president Nelson Mandela stated: ' The moral of its story is that The Herald was founded on the rock of civic duty by a citizen, as committed to imparting academic knowledge to pupils as he was to uniting a community to take responsibility for its wellbeing. 'In that sense, John Paterson was a trailblazer whose message is as relevant today as it was one-and-half centuries ago ... Indeed, 150 years ago, Paterson could have chosen to focus on the wealthy among the new settlers, who lived in comfort amid the chaos in the settlement which he so vividly described. 'But he was concerned with the interests of that community as a whole'.' Paterson said this reinforced the notion that his great-great grandfather was a visionary who saw the broader picture of The Herald's mission. 'We wish The Herald family all the very best for its continued contribution to Gqeberha as the city charts its course during challenging times. 'Ultimately the city's success will be dependent upon the 'civic duty' of all its citizens as was the case back in 1845. 'May The Herald continue to inform and unite its citizens, thus continuing its contribution to a city which provides a future of peace and prosperity for all,' he said. John Paterson also founded Grey High School in 1856 — in his own words 'to be a fortune to one and all of the succeeding generations of youth in Port Elizabeth' — and six years later, started one of SA's most prominent and largest financial institutions, Standard Bank. Gordon Paterson has often spoken with great pride of his great-great grandfather's legacy.
