I’ve never been much of a regular novel reader. Coffee? Yes. Long drives? Anytime. Travelling somewhere new? Definitely.
But sitting down with a novel and reading page after page wasn’t really a habit of mine. I guess things change. 😊
It Started With a Screenshot
Back in 2024, Medusa shared a screenshot of three books by Khaled Hosseini: The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns and And the Mountains Echoed.
She loves reading and would occasionally share what she was reading. I enjoyed hearing about the things she liked, even if picking up the books myself took a little longer. 😂
I searched for those titles in Malaysia, but couldn’t find them in stock when I looked. Life carried on, yet I kept them in mind.
Two Years Later, in Chennai
Fast-forward to 2026. I was walking along T. Nagar in Chennai when I came across a roadside bookseller.
I enjoy wandering through streets when I travel. Sometimes I stop for coffee or take photographs. That day, I stopped because I recognised something.
There they were all three books from that screenshot.
I hadn’t expected to find them beside the road in Chennai after searching for them back home. The seller had just three copies left, one of each.
I bought all three. No second thoughts. I knew I’d regret walking away and telling myself I could get them another time. I’d already waited quite long enough. 😂
Holding them brought back the person who had first shared those titles with me. That small discovery became one of my favourite things to bring home from this trip.
Five Pages a Day
I’m starting with The Kite Runner, my first Khaled Hosseini book, and a simple plan: five pages a day.
It feels manageable. I’m giving reading a chance without turning it into another deadline. Some days I might read more, on others, those few pages will be enough.
I certainly don’t have a review ready for you yet. I’ve only just started. 😂
For now, I want to open the book, spend a little time with it and return tomorrow.
Some Things Stay With Us
I haven’t told the person who shared that screenshot that I found the books. Perhaps she’ll come across this story, recognise the titles and smile.
She shared something she loved, and it left an impression. I like that a small moment between us has led me to try something new.
I don’t know yet whether reading will become a lasting habit. That’s something I’ll discover as I go. But I’m glad I stopped at that stall and finally gave myself a place to begin.
Two years to find three books.
Five pages a day to begin something new.
Just here.
— Thana, Beyond The Horizon 🌅
