The Book of Knowledge by Benjamin

The Book of Knowledge by Benjamin - May 2017 Scholarship Essay

The Cartoon History of the Universe captivated me in middle school, and is one of the few books I still reread to this day. Despite having “cartoon” in its title, the book is very text-heavy, with the illustrations complementing the information and amplifying Larry Gonick’s witty humor. This book, the first volume of its series, covers the birth of the universe and extends into the history of Ancient Greece in 358 entertaining pages.

This book made learning fun. History had always been a “B” subject to me, something to skim over in a textbook and then regurgitate on a test without much thinking or effort on my part. When I was reading this book, however, I was actively engaged in learning—history leapt off the page in beautiful sketches and brilliantly comedic bits, and I gulped it all down, with my eyes searching for more.

Not only that, but Gonick continuously cites primary sources for many of the pages and nudges readers towards looking them up. After going through the book for the first time, I went back through, finding each source and delving into it. I read translations for the Homer’s Illiad, the Hindu Bhagavad Gita, the Old Testament, and many more.

This book really retaught me what learning is and can be. It’s an active process of seeking out information, asking questions, and not being afraid to delve deep down a trail of knowledge, not just filling out assignments and memorizing dates. It taught me that learning can be fun, exciting, and inspirational, and it guides me to seek knowledge just for the pleasure of gaining it. The excitement and passion I felt while reading this book shows how a good book can ignite a reader’s desire to learn, and my subsequent research led to an amazing treasure trove of information that I might never have encountered had I not read this book. This experience has encouraged me to always strive to explore every avenue and go off the beaten path in anything else I study now. Going the extra mile in learning takes a lot more effort, but it’s worth it in the knowledge and sense of fulfillment I receive in return.