AS part of our eco-leadership training, we encourage our interns to read books. Generally, they don’t need to go to libraries to borrow books as I have over 5,000 of them. The subjects vary from the obvious nature, wildlife and photography to pure literature and fiction, education, adventure sports and even a few titles covering fashion, design, architecture, heritage, food, films and other interests such as art, gardening, music, travel and social or gender issues. These books live in my bedroom or hide behind doors, line my corridors, sit stoic in racks in my living room. In short, they are stacked all over the house, in places where I eat, sleep, work or read. So, literally, in my house, one is never more than an arm’s lengths distance from a book. The sad fact that these could’ve been forest trees at some point conflicts me immensely. But for me reading is about venturing into unknown worlds.

Young leaves in the deciduous kusum tree