Terrific way to learn with DIY books
Ah, how I love second-hand bookstores. I was recently in Delhi’s Nehru Place, a sort of collective market for electronic goods. All the roadside vendors sell cheap goods from China — battery-operated speakers and the like. Amidst all this, I stopped to browse at a pavement book stall, because I can’t just pass one without stopping. To my amazement, as I was browsing, the owner came up to me, and in perfect English, asked me what kind of stuff I was interested in.
He pointed out the “serious” section, in the direction of Sartre and Ibsen. In fact, I got better service at that pavement stall than I have experienced in any other major bookstore. And the fun of it was that it was a second-hand stall, so you never knew what you were stumbling across.
After I bought my book, he handed me a small hardcover book. “Take this as a present,” he said. It was the improbably named Teach Yourself Swimming, and I found that title so funny, that someone could teach themselves swimming through a book, that I delightedly accepted.
Published in 1953, my edition is dated 1958, and is one of a long line of Teach Yourself books. The other titles include Conjuring, Amateur Acting, Ballroom (Modern) Dancing and even, Mountain Climbing. I guess if you don’t already know how to swim, this might be a useful guide, but as I do, I’m just going to remark on the chapters.
‘Home Preparation’, says a subhead, which goes on to say swimming at home will be very useful if you ever want to go into a pool. “I know personally,” says the author, “of at least one case when a boy of 12 years of age, who had never been in a swimming pool before, spent three winter months learning the various ‘land drills’ in a school gymnasium at odd times. Then, when the pool was opened in May, he walked straight down the steps into the water and proceeded to swim a width!” Remarkable. Might I also add not to try this at home?
But this little book is charming, with illustrations of various kinds of strokes, including a diagram about how to prepare yourself by lying in a tub of water in your bathing suit and submerging your head. Old books offer so much pleasure, especially if they’re quaint and kitsch like this one is.
The columnist is an author
Post new comment