When a reader falls in love with a book, it leaves its essence inside him, like radioactive fallout in an arable field, and after that there are certain crops that will no longer grow in him, while other, stranger, more fantastic growths may occasionally be produced.
Salman Rushdie's reflection on the impact of reading captures the deep and lasting influence that literature can have on an individual. When someone develops a strong connection to a book, it transforms their inner landscape, akin to how radioactive fallout alters the fertility of soil. This metaphor suggests that certain ideas or modes of thinking may become permanently altered, making it difficult for more conventional thoughts to flourish.
Moreover, Rushdie implies that this transformation can lead to unexpected and imaginative outcomes. As the essence of the book lingers, it may encourage unique and fantastical ideas to emerge within the reader. Ultimately, the relationship between a reader and a book can yield a richer, more diverse inner world, influenced by the stories and characters encountered through reading.
