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July 25, 2004
Articles: Reading on the train
Alia Ahmad has a degree in English literature and works as an account manager for a marketing agency in London
“AFTER reading and re-reading all the classics such as Shakespeare and Jane Austen I am currently in the mood for enjoying contemporary female fiction purely for pleasure,” Alia says. She explains that if you are a diehard reader, then you will find the time to start a book regardless of the situation you are in.
“I tend to read on the underground trains travelling to and from work, both morning and night. These are usually the only times when I find I can enjoy a book uninterrupted,” she states.
As she is in this present mood of reading for leisure, Alia has just finished reading The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic, Shopaholic Abroad and Shopaholic Ties the Knot all by Sophie Kinsella. “These are the perfect books for a girl who has had a long day at work and just wants to escape into a good read,” she insists, “they are also great books to take away on holiday with you as they are not too taxing but extremely funny and entertaining. In fact, while reading these books it almost seemed as if I was reading my own diary! As the title suggests, every shopping addict will be able to relate to this. The books don’t have any particular moral message (other than not get carried away with your credit card) but the fact that the characters are all flawed yet immensely likeable, is reassuring,” says Alia.
Sophie Kinsella is a writer with a background in financial journalism. Her bestselling series of the Shopaholic titles have managed to gain a vast readership due to her main character Becky Bloomwood, who is always managing to run into debt because of her crazy money spending addiction. Many readers are able to relate to the wild spending habits that Becky has, and the books’ success shows that there are many shopping addicts who see themselves in these books.
“I particularly like authors such as Sophie Kinsella, Marian Keyes and Jill Mansel as they write fantastically and create three-dimensional characters and worlds that are easy to lose yourself in,” adds Alia. “Another of my favourite authors is Douglas Adams, largely due to the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. It still makes me laugh out loud even though I have read it at least 50 times.”
Alia says that as she was the youngest in her family, she found a lot of time on her hands when her older siblings flew the nest. “I was left on my own with little to fill the time between coming home from school and going to bed, so I started reading. I started with Sweet Valley High and soon progressed to books with more depth such as Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and George Orwell’s 1984. My parents encouraged my interest in reading and ensured that I was member of my local library. I used to go there every Saturday to pick out my entertainment for the coming week. From there my love of reading extended into my education and I decided to do my degree in English literature. I believe that you really need to love books if it means having to read about ten a week!
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