Embark On an Extraordinary Journey With 'Going Solo'

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In recent months, shortly after the beginning of a new semester at school, the Peking University Sixth Hospital Children’s Department (also known as Peking University Institute of Mental Health) has been flooded with young patients. According to reports from Sanlian Life Weekly, more than 300 children suffering from mental depression visit the hospital daily. This issue has become of great concern to society. There are a number of ways to address mental health problems, such as exploring interests like sports, music, art, or connecting with nature. The world of reading can play a major role as a significant positive influence on teenagers’ mental health.

Let’s dive into the benefits of reading. We will investigate the impact of good reading habits on an individual’s mental well-being. We will also hopefully inspire satisfactory reading habits.

Based on this topic, I would like to recommend three books to our young readers: October, October, by Katya Balen; The Goldfish Boy, by Lisa Thompson; and Going Solo, by Roald Dahl.

This is the third of my three-part series on mental health book recommendations from one young person to another.

Have you ever heard of an ex-spy, former WWII fighter pilot, chocolate historian, and medical inventor who wrote children’s books? Allow me to introduce you to Going Solo by Roald Dahl, one of the world’s best-loved British writers. This all-time favorite autobiography consists of the unique details Dahl has experienced while traveling far away from home for the first time.

Going Solo encapsulates the story’s overall theme – independence, courage, and adventure. Dahl likes to say, ‘A life is made up of a great number of small incidents and a small number of great ones.’ In the first chapter, ‘The Voyage Out,’ he vividly describes his extensive voyage from England to East Africa, including the fascinating people he met on the ship.

Going Solo comprises many small details that offer a realistic portrayal of Dahl’s personal experiences. As a squadron fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force, he recounts the dangers and challenges he encountered in Africa and the Middle East, including the darkness and cruelty of war. Additionally, he highlights the classified instructions designated to individual soldiers, which could have led to betrayal and poor cooperation, making it difficult for the soldiers to know who to trust among themselves.

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Did you know: Roald Dahl fractured his skull and suffered from a broken nose due to a plane crash that happened in Libya.

Dahl writes about his wartime experiences and offers insights from his perspective, providing valuable knowledge and wisdom for learners of all ages. He carries an inspiring set of characteristics, such as his naturally mischievous personality, captured in Boy, a book based on Dahl’s childhood, and his remarkable courage and ceaseless adventurous spirit. It is exhilarating to learn that Roald Dahl set off into a completely unfamiliar country at the young age of 22 (1938).

Throughout Going Solo, Dahl constantly writes to his beloved mother. His letters are displayed consistently throughout the book. It is genuinely heartwarming to learn about the unshaken love between Dahl and his mum through the actual letters he had written, especially in those times of hardness.

Therefore, after understanding only a brief introduction to Going Solo and Roald Dahl’s exciting years away from home, I believe that as lifelong learners, we can embrace his remarkable spirit and adopt his great independence. I highly recommend Going Solo to those who wish to learn more about the life of a noteworthy polymath and those simply seeking an exciting book to read!

Researchers at The New School in New York City have found evidence that literary fiction ‘improves a reader’s capacity to understand what others are thinking and feeling.’ To succeed as individuals, we must first understand others’ experiences. Reading generally allows us to meet and understand new people with diverse traits. We ‘make friends’ with immensely different people in entirely different circumstances than us, or we may learn about a character with several connections to us. This is what makes reading truly special.

From another aspect, trendy novels create an intriguing real-life conversation topic! A series of popular books can draw a connection between peers, allowing them to feel more familiar with each other – as if having a ‘mutual friend’!

It is scientifically proven that reading is physically healthy for your body: “Reading can even relax our body by lowering your heart rate and easing the tension in your muscles. A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce stress levels to 68%.” Instead of watching television, we need to imagine the scenery in a plot. Thus, a book intensifies the use of imagination and develops an individual’s creativity. Good writers allow us to journey into the wonderlands inside the pages of a book: “Reading is to construct a refuge from the miseries of life.” – W. Somerset Maugham.

Do you have a great book that you just NEED to recommend to others? Let us know! Contact [e-mail] to share your favorite reads.

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Images: Amazon

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