My love for books is something that has always been there, even without me knowing or reminding myself how long it has been. A simple habit that started off in my childhood days has not sprung into something phenomenal. It is calm, refreshing, and exciting to pick a book and simply journey into the world of a writer without even having a physical relationship with the writer, but you can relate to their stories.
For me, books have always been a way to see that there is more to what meets the eye, and there is plenty more out there in the world without me knowing. It can be fun to let your mind travel far and wide, all just one word that you read.
Starting with books, turning from page to page, newspapers, borrowed novels, and even comic books, the likes of Supa Strikas and Captain Underpants, all began as a hobby. Whenever I needed that space to expect from whatever reality I was experiencing at the time, I had books to thank for that. Whenever I needed something to keep my mind busy, books were my go-to.
Well, a shared love for books got me to meet Mr. Kunle, who was a judge on the Nigerian Prize for Literature. It wasn't entirely through books or whatever book I had read that allowed me to meet Mr Kunle. Actually, it was chess. A friend of mine came around for an event, which allowed us to hang out and visit Mr Kunle because my friend had an appointment with him to play chess. The invitation got me to meet the man in his house, and I got to see a couple of books from his library.
This book won the 2025 Literature prize! She won a $100,000
A lot of books were entries for the Nigerian Prize for Literature, which has a prize fund of 100k Dollars. It was lovely to be fortunate enough to meet such a gentleman who has read some of the finest literature for the contest. I had a conversation with him, and I look forward to coming on board on his show to talk about book reviews and Hive in general. What stuck with me the most wasn't his humility but the way he spoke about books. It felt like a shared common interest.
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| Chess & Books | Nigeria Jihad? Wow! |
The idea of talking about Hive is something that would be exciting, especially when it involves books and reviews on them. I have read a couple of books, and I know that there is a whole lot more out there. It's about me finding the next one and what the next chapter will be. It amazes me whenever I think about what is true out there, the world not yet explored, the possibilities, enlightenment, culture, and people, and a lot more I've only read from books.
In the end, my love for books is quite synonymous with my love for people, that is, the author and the stories they have to share. It was a reminder for me when I had a conversation with Mr Kunle, that literature isn't entirely about the books on the shelves, or how many there are, but it's about the stories they tell, the community out there, and how far and wild one's creativity can run freely. There is no cap to how big your dreams can get. It all boils down to how you are willing to paint them.
I am @samostically, a chess player and writer. I love to share the experience I have gained from different battles over the 64 squares and the knowledgeable insights from books I have read. But most importantly, I am a Midnight Owl and I founded the community Midnight Letters.
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Thanks For Reading!