Public figures give thoughts on World Book Day

Xie Chuntao, president and editor-in-chief of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee Press Agency

In the current information and Internet era, people receive information from more sources than that in the past. But these new channels can’t replace books. Whatever your profession is, you should often read good books. You will improve yourself in many ways.

Recommendation: China Climbing on the Hillside – Trends in China and the China Dream

Zhu Gang, professor of School of Foreign Studies, Nanjing University

World Reading Day is meaningful in a technologically advanced age, when we often find ourselves bewildered by electronic gadgets and confused by the enormous amount of digital information.

We may regain the sense of life, at least for today, by seating ourselves in a room of our own and experiencing the sheer please of reading, opening ourselves to the best minds in history, so that we may think once again what to do and where to go.

Recommendation: Jane Eyre

Iwan Dietschi, area general manager, The Ritz-Carlton Beijing, Financial Street

Reading is a very important part of my life as it allows me to satisfy my curiosity, to a certain degree.

My interests are vast, from daily happenings to varied local and international articles and stories, political viewpoints and business news.

I enjoy opening the newspaper early in the morning and access international online information as I have lived in 13 countries on four continents. It allows me to learn, but as well to improve my critical thinking skills.

It is important to challenge information and not to easily accept stated facts, as articles, journals and cited information should be questioned, allowing to think differently, "out of the box", and to expand and enlarge one’s horizon and knowledge.