I was a typical child - one who would read anything put in front of her - including billboards and posters on the side of the street. It was, after all, a good way to kill time.

The turning point came one summer vacation in July. I, a bored school-goer, discovered my older sister's old school books. They were all classics ranging from Jane Eyre to Moby Dick. I was instantly interested because I had never seen those books as part of my curriculum, even when she was only four years older than me! Anyways, I picked up the smallest book, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, heavily abridged for children. It took me just half a day to finish it. To this day, I remember the story vividly because it was the first time I had read something other than Jataka Tales, and it made an indelible impression on my young mind.

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