KOCHI: It’s the eve of our National Reading Day. And a beautiful weekend. Ideal time to pick a book that one has been waiting to read for long. For avid readers, the list would be long. One that would often evoke a sense of guilt. Heading to the bookstore, there is always a nagging curiosity to know what the current reading trend is like. What better time to check out?
When the pandemic struck, people — both young and old — had a lot of time on their hands. That is, the spare time after the breaking news saga, Google health check-ups and contemplation on the future of mankind.
In that spare time, many people went back to reading. Books were back in vogue. Currently, though life has got back to near-normal, books are here to stay, according to bookstores and libraries in Kochi.
Abdul Latheef, who runs Blossom Book House near Convent Junction, says his major customer group is youngsters. “Mostly 17 to 25 years of age,” he says. “They love reading fiction, especially English ones.”
Youngsters are smart readers, he adds. “In the city, we see a relatively privileged urban crowd. People from the outskirts still check their purse before making a purchase. This is especially true for young readers. They compare the online and offline prices, before buying books.” These youngsters are the ones who set the trend, according to Abdul. “The most popular pick now is Geetanjali Shree’s Tomb Of Sand, which won the International Booker Prize. It’s sold out here,” he says.
Classics such as Pride And Prejudice, The Godfather, Withering Heights and Diary of a Young Girl are trending, too. “College students are increasingly drawn towards classic English fiction, probably due to their syllabus. Many tend to gravitate towards romance, fantasy and science fiction. There are some serious readers, too, who go for authors such as Milan Kundera and Gabriel García Márquez.”
DC Books stores have also seen an increase in footfall. Biographies and self-help books are the top-sellers, says Madhusudanan, who has been running an outlet for the past 40 years. “Many believe reading has become a thing of the past. There is, however, no such crisis,” he adds. He, however, notes that people, nowadays, are opting for door-delivery of books. “Number of serious readers has reduced a bit,” adds Madhusudanan.
“What has changed is the kind of books people prefer to read. Unlike earlier times, most readers, these days, prefer biographies and self-help books.” Children’s literature market is booming, too, with Diary of a Wimpy Kid and the Harry Potter series continuing to top sales, he adds. Notably, H&C, one of Kochi’s oldest book stores, has now expanded its market by opening new outlets and increasing focus on non-academic genres. “Our store used to be known for textbooks and guides. But now, we have increased our collection of non-academic books, as there is a rise in demand,” says H&C managing partner Geevarghese T Simry.
“It applies to the pre-teen category, too. For instance, sales of our in-house publication The Children’s Magazine have gone up following the pandemic. It’s probably because parents have been encouraging children to read. Some of the popular picks include works by Geronimo Stilton, Ruskin Bond, and, of course, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and the Harry Potter series.”
Gloom at Public Library
Membership volumes at Ernakulam Public Library have dipped, says librarian Priya K Peter. The number of readers who visit the library has also reduced considerably, she adds. “Nowadays, mainly study-related and reference books are being read mostly. About 200 people visit the library every day and use the reading room. The figure used to be about 500 before the pandemic,” Priya notes.
New memberships are also down by 75 per cent, when compared with pre-pandemic years.
Priya highlights another interesting trend. “People who read on-screen tend to take frequent breaks. They go outside at least once every half an hour. Some of them even even fall asleep on the desk. It could be due to increased strain on the eyes,” she says. “However, book lovers tend to read for a long time, without interruptions.” she says.
Social media influence
Blossom Book House owner Abdul Latheef says social media has helped book reading, especially in the case of youngsters. “There may be many negative effects but, when it comes to reading, social media has done more good than harm. Book Tok, for instance, is something that was formed as a subset of Tik Tok. Now, these videos are available on YouTube, too. So, many youngsters go through Book Tok recommendations to select their reading,” he says.
“Many even suggested rearranging the store to make it more engaging and adding a shelf dedicated to BookYok recommendations. It is widely being done in many Western countries. Similarly, Facebook groups also influence readers.”
National Reading Day
It is celebrated on June 19 in India to honour Puthuvayil Narayana Panicker, the father of the library movement in Kerala. Panicker, who worked as a teacher, founded the Sanadana Dalman Sangham in 1926. Later, in 1945, he led the Travancore Library association through Thiruvithamkoor Granthasala Sangham, which consisted of 47 local libraries to emphasise on the significance of reading. After Independence, when the state of Kerala was officially formed, this association came to be known as Kerala Granthasala Sangham which had nearly 6,000 libraries under his network. It also received the prestigious UNESCO Krupasakaya Award in 1975. Later, it became the Kerala State Library Council. After the Kerala Granthasala Sangham was acquired by the government, Panicker also established the Kerala Association for Non- Formal Education and Development (KANFED). Panicker died on 19th June 1995. Since 1996, the day has been celebrated as National Reading Day .
Top 5 books among youngsters
Tomb of sand Geetanjali Shree
Classics such as Pride and Prejudice
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Romance books by Colleen Hoover
Science Fiction & Fantasy by Brandon Sanderson & Sarah J Mass
Malayalam literature by K R Meera, Benyamin