In the Throes of Love and Hate

Most readers share a precious, yet complex, relationship with books, marked by joy, guilt, discovery, and so much more. Dear Troubled Reader, written by Suresh Menon, is an advice column on all things literature and language. It addresses questions that readers have, from the simple to the profound, treating every question with equal seriousness. You might ask: How do I begin reading? Or is writing a mirror into the writer's world? Expect recommendations from the columnist, remedies for ‘bad’ reading habits, advice on navigating the inevitable reading slump, and much more.

We hope this column becomes a space of hope and companionship for you, the reader. A place that brings you back to your bookshelves with renewed love for reading, greater curiosity about languages, and the desire to discover new voices and fresh literature.

Send your questions via email to editor@the-hyphen.in, or leave a comment below.

I recently read a book and really enjoyed it. But when I looked up reviews online, almost everyone criticised it, calling it “the worst thing to happen to literature since ChatGPT.” Now, I don't know what to think about the book anymore. How do I know if a book is actually good?

This happens a lot. In fact, instead of writing essays in school on “Why I love Jane Austen,” a version of which most of us have written while ensuring we don’t say anything the teacher might dislike, we should write such things as, “Why does the poetry of Wordsworth stink?”, a far more useful exercise. We can dislike something everybody else loves, and vice versa. If enjoyment alone is key, have faith in your own responses. But others’ responses might tell us what we might have missed or identify deeper meanings that escape us. Books can be thought-provoking, emotionally challenging, intellectually stimulating, even physically repulsive. Like in art, not everything needs to be beautiful or enjoyable. You should be able to say (in your mind at least), “This is a terrible book, and everyone should read it.” Reviewers (the good ones) point out the strengths and weaknesses of the writing, and allow us to enjoy a book at another level. Like our preferred hair dresser or brand of toothpaste, we quickly learn to settle on our favourites - people whose judgements we trust. Anything to enhance the reading experience, really.

Up until now, I've only read fiction in English. Although I can read and write both Tamil and Telugu, I've never read books in either language. How do I get started?

I am in the same boat, my friend, and part of me is ashamed of this. I have read one book in Malayalam (a terrible one), and one in French (as part of my university course), and that’s it. The rest are all in English.

There are many roads to your goal. When I was younger, I attempted to learn Spanish to read Cervantes and Marquez and a host of others in the original, but lacked the discipline to persist. And life interfered.

The best guide if you are starting from scratch is Google or AI. I just googled, but will hold back here so you can have the joy of discovery yourself. Start with a specific author. Or check out the English translations. My way of getting into an author is to first read their essays or short stories and there are good translations here, especially the short stories. It might seem a roundabout way of getting to read in a language you are comfortable in, but if it helps…

Why should I bother reading a 200-page novel when I can watch a good movie in less time? With OTT platforms, I can watch films from all languages across the world, not just Indian languages.

Sure, if that’s what floats your boat, go ahead. Reading requires patience, and engagement with the author. I can think of few movies that are better than the books they were based on. The Godfather is one, much superior to Mario Puzo’s book, as is “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” which I enjoyed more than I did Ken Kesey’s book. On the other side of the scale is Baz Luhrman’s “The Great Gatsby”. Unnecessarily (and irritatingly) in 3D, it was not a patch on the original movie which had Robert Redford and was at best mediocre! I had a friend who refused to see a 3D film because she “already knew the story,” so what you are looking for in reading books or watching movies is important. They are independent experiences; one might enrich the other. Or not.