Francis Bacon, in his essay Of Studies, has mentioned three ways in which different types of books are to be treated. Some books are meant to be tasted, some are to be swallowed, and the rest should be chewed and digested. The third treatment does not mean changing from a carnivorous or herbivorous diet to a book-related diet. Rather, it means that the very words of the book, the ideas, concepts, and whatever is lying between the lines, should be understood and implemented in life. This is because those books contain information that can change the way a person thinks or leads their life.
One may think that books that are to be read with noise-cancelling headphones and sipping on a simple Americano (no Frappuccino, as they are too youth-like) are the ones that have words chosen like a true native. They might think that these books have no joy and no life. It is like every word says, ‘Do this and do that and Bob’s your uncle.’ But here is the thing. The books that are meant to be chewed and digested also come in literary form.
Sherko Fatah’s The Dark Ship is a great example. The book talks about an Iraqi Kurdish boy who migrates illegally to Germany on a cargo ship. While on his journey, he shares many struggles, such as the freezing weather of Türkiye, the constant search by guards and guard-dogs, and much more. The reason why I consider this book to be chewed and digested is that it can give a boost to those who are researching illegal immigrants’ stories and the ways they come from far distances. Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart show the way the Africans were treated under various colonisers and have their riches taken as a form of repayment while the natives commit acts of treachery. But, Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is the final example of this treatment, as it shows the way some people think to keep outside influence away from hurting them.
We all have read Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Gulliver’s Travels. Sure, the stories were great and all, but these books fall into the second treatment – swallowed. These novels were just a glimpse into whether there can be an alternate universe or an alien universe, which makes us regular humans look different compared to the Liliputians and the Brobdingnagians. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is another example, as it is unclear whether any civilisation exists who live like Aquaman. Just read those books, and let the fantasy run wild. No need to digest them as long as there is some concrete evidence of what is found in those books.
It is best not to discuss books that are to be tasted. This is because they are there to kill time reading. They are not there to give something extraordinary. Although it depends upon the perspective. Because perspective differs from person to person.
So, there you have it, folks. Francis Bacon sure did make us understand the ways how books should be treated. Although your perspective will differ from mine, do not be hardened by it. Afterall, we all look at life in various ways.
The writer is a Sub Editor, Daily Times of Bangladesh
