The Other Side of Me — Living a Thousand Lives Through Books

An antique candle burns amidst open, time-worn books in a tranquil, wood-paneled private library — “Books: silent heroes, wise friends.” — The companions that shaped my focus, curiosity, and calm.

Why Books Matter to Me

I began reading in 2011 in Bangladesh, sharing library novels with friends between classes. Those quiet minutes grew into a lifelong habit that trained my attention, broadened my perspective, and taught me to enjoy stillness.

Over the years I’ve read ~140 books in Bengali and 70+ in English. In 2018 I discovered non-fiction; in 2019, Who Moved My Cheese? reframed how I deal with change. Today, books remain my compass for learning, resilience, and empathy.

Timeline of My Reading Journey

2011 — First storybook & novels with friends in Bangladesh.
2014 — Read first non-fiction (Quantum Method Meditation) — expanded horizons.
2018 — Began reading English non-fiction.
2019 — Who Moved My Cheese? changed my perspective on life & change.
2020 — Moved to Canada, continued reading in English & Bengali.
Now — 200+ books read; documenting reviews on Mahfuza’s Reading Journal.

What Reading Taught Me

Deep focus: long-form reading strengthened my attention span and patience.
Systems thinking: non-fiction and tech books improved my problem-solving flows.
Clarity & empathy: stories sharpen how I communicate with users and teammates.

Where This Leads

I’m building Bookface — a social reading app where a book only “counts” after a public review. It encourages thoughtful reading, accountability, and community. I’m also launching Mahfuza’s Reading Journal to document notes and reviews as I continue learning.

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” — George R.R. Martin

Learn more about the science and practice of reading on this overview of Reading .