No matter how many digital platforms there are, nothing compares to the experience of reading a book.
Just like digital photography compared to the charming printed photo albums. The digital pictures are stored in files somewhere. Sometimes they go into silence, never to resurface.
But I was at the Cultural Library of the Ministry of Information this week and came across two familiar faces. On the bookshelf was the book titled 'The Doctor + The Teacher,' memoirs of Dr Donald and Eloise Bosch.
Right at the beginning of my career as a broadcaster at Radio Oman and Television, I had the pleasure of meeting Dr Donald Bosch and Eloise Bosch. I enjoyed interviewing him, and he had a book on shells of Oman too. And the beautiful memory came alive when I saw this book at the cultural library. I remember how health and lifestyle changed when canned food arrived. In 1955, Dr Bosch arrived in Muscat to work as a surgeon at the Mission Hospital in Muttrah. In 1972, he was honoured with the “Order of Oman” by the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos. In 1974, he was appointed Chief Medical Officer at Khoula Hospital.
Meanwhile, Eloise Bosch worked as a teacher at the American Mission School in Muscat. In 1984, both of them retired. Dr Bosch retired from the post of Chief Medical Officer at Khoula Hospital, and Mrs Bosch retired from Al Amana School. But since they arrived in Muscat, they had developed a hobby of collecting seashells, and it resulted in four books.
But the book, The Doctor + The Teacher, gives you an insight into the lifestyle in the 1950s, such as sleeping on the roof during the summer staring at millions of stars, kerosene-run refrigerators, and kerosene lanterns. The ceiling fan being switched off at 11 pm is an interesting anecdote by Bonnie (their children also share their memories): "The fans would be switched off at 11 pm (that is when the generator was switched off for the night) and would switch on again at 5 am (when the generator started again). Then there are visits to different places, clinics, the mission hospital, and house visits for medical purposes.
In January 1971, as per the book's epilogue, "The American Mission took the unprecedented step of voluntarily turning over its medical institutions in Oman to the new government with the idea that expatriate personnel would henceforth work as part of the government health programmes, not as members of private hospitals."
If they had not written a book, we never could have imagined how each day would have been shaped or about the people then and how they lived.
Reading is important for the brain, the experts say, because it keeps it active, strengthens neural connections, and helps prevent cognitive decline and dementia. And we all know that reading improves memory, concentration and vocabulary, while also reducing stress and fostering creativity. They say reading is a workout for the brain because it stimulates the brain by engaging various regions, enhancing overall brain health and function.
Experts note that it engages multiple brain regions, as reading involves the temporal and frontal lobes, regions critical for language comprehension, memory and speech.
The act of reading strengthens existing neural connections and creates new neural pathways, improving brain connectivity and information processing.
Reading is linked to increased white matter in the brain, which facilitates communication between different brain hemispheres and improves concentration.
And there are cognitive benefits such as memory enhancement.
What I love about reading is visualising the scenes. The book, 'The Doctor + The Teacher,' has some precious pictures that really transport the reader to a different era.
Visualising scenes and encountering new information through reading helps encode and store information, reinforcing memory pathways for long-term retention.
The ever- distracted individuals that we are today, books help us to have the focused attention required for reading, which in turn helps improve concentration and focus.
Ever felt that you have not used certain words for a long time? Books can help.
Reading exposes you to new words and concepts, expanding your vocabulary and overall knowledge.
For long-term health benefits, regular reading is a protective factor against age-related cognitive decline and dementia.
Think of reading as a mental workout that keeps your brain healthy and functioning effectively as you age.
Do you want a mindful escape from daily pressure? Take off with a book. The best part is that reading can stimulate imagination, foster critical thinking, and build empathy by allowing you to understand different perspectives.
I got to travel to a time that was before the modern renaissance with a book that was written by the people I happened to meet at their seaside home, provided by the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos.
All this experience from a book at the Cultural Library. One can visit the library through your mobile phone as well - library.injaaz.om.
Lakshmi Kothaneth
The writer is senior editor of Observer
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