With book week fast approaching, I am remembering well the days when I came to school dressed as various characters.
In our Secondary Assembly we looked at the top four reads of all time, The Bible, The Quran, the Harry Potter series, and the Quotations of Chairman Mao. I asked the students which is the odd one out? The tendency was to say Harry Potter, but then we flounder with the why. I decided that the Bible was the odd one out for three reasons: firstly, it is not a book by one author but instead 66 books all in one cover, and the second reason being it has around 40 different authors. Finally, it is the oldest, with texts dating back to BC times, whereas the next written was the Quran in the seventh century.
Whether you are Christian, or a Muslim, a Hogwart or have read and appreciate Mao’s quotations, these books are the most read, and understanding why they are important to people is a very valuable skill.
People for hundreds of years and the case of the bible, thousands of years have kept coming back and rereading what is written. Story and the retelling of stories of significance forms the fabric of communities.
I have lost count how many times my daughter has read Harry Potter, or my step mum has returned to the Quran for wisdom.
So they must provide comfort, inspiration, direction and hope or they would be left on the shelf and forgotten long ago.
What books do you return to time and time again? Ever thought to ask why?
We revisit stories and texts to find meaning, And the same is for our school songs, they provide history and meaning. So, I look with great joy to the upcoming release of our new School anthem, written to be a unifying voice and story of our community.
Rev Alison Andrew | School Chaplain
