“Reading maketh a man” is a remark attributed to Sir Francis Bacon that many of us were introduced to in primary or middle school. My teachers, including the Rector and the Reverend Brothers and Sisters, placed great emphasis on cultivating the habit of reading. They would not abridge the quote, but repeat it in full: “Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.” This practice of quoting in full deserves revival.

Within my family too, there was a culture of reading. My father was a prolific reader, with wide-ranging interests. His fluency in Persian matched his Urdu and English; consequently, his access to knowledge was far broader. The more languages one learns, the greater the resources one unlocks, which would otherwise remain unknown. Translations are useful, but often stripped of nuance and detail; it is therefore best to read a work in its original language.

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