Lahore LitFest & the wonderful world of books

Lahore and its inhabitants love to play host. The weather helps. As the foggy chill of winter gradually transforms into a distant memory and gentle warmth beams from the clear skies, the city starts to sparkle with colour and activity.

The Lahore Literary Festival is in town, bringing with it a galaxy of stars, who glitter on the literary horizon. It’s a packed weekend for those who love books and authors, and the numbers thronging the LLF are a clear indicator that reading and writing are not a dying art in Pakistan — yet.

Well, perhaps this needs a bit of qualification. I’m sure there’s no survey on what percentage of literate Pakistanis actually read at least one book a month, but if there were such a survey, it would plunge many of us into manic depression. We all have our anecdotal stories about the shocking absence of reading habits, but what just does not cease to amaze me is the brazenness with which some people justify not reading books. My favourite one is when a youngster fresh out of college turns to me and says with a straight face, “I would love to read books, but you see, I just don’t find the time.”



Seriously?

US President Barack Obama is said to be a voracious reader and polishes off a book a week. The UK newspaper, The Daily Telegraph, did a story on his reading habits when he popped into a small bookstore and purchased 17 books. The photograph shows him standing on the counter in a line holding his book cart and chatting with the cashier. Apparently while running the sole superpower of the world and managing global crises, he still finds time to visit bookstores and read through the month.

What does Mian Nawaz Sharif read? I have no idea. I’m sure neither do most of you. I don’t recall him being photographed with a book ever, and his office hasn’t to my mind ever released a list of books he likes to consume. I hope he does read regularly, and if he does I would sincerely suggest that his press secretary let the world know his reading preferences. It would help us understand the man better. In 2008, before being elected president, Obama was photographed at an airport holding Fareed Zakaria’s Post-American World. Indeed a peek into the mind of then-candidate Obama.

What does Imran Khan read, I wonder? And Zardari? It would actually be interesting to know what Bilawal is reading nowadays that he’s cooling his heels in London. Agatha Christie mysteries perhaps? Leaders and books should be constant companions, but sadly here in Pakistan this may not hold true. Perhaps, the media can do something about it by asking politicians what were the last five books they read. The answers may shock us yet.

Reading habits start from childhood, and that’s where the problem starts for Pakistani children. The good (and expensive) schools do push children to read, but generally there is very little encouragement for the kids. Sure, if the parents are readers themselves, they will inculcate the habit in their kids, but my guess is that an overwhelming majority does not do that. If you do not read much as a child, it’s unlikely that you will once you get older — barring exceptions of course.

Which is why perhaps I often get asked, ‘What should I read?’ My answer is, ‘Anything you like.’ Youngsters somehow straitjacket themselves in a dilemma of what they think they should read versus what they want to read. So in job interviews, I am often told by candidates that they are reading some seriously heavy (and boring sounding) books. Often they cannot even recall the name of the author. Reading as fun? Perish the thought.

So here are some reading habits that work for me: first, I read multiple books simultaneously, just to keep my interest alive; the moment the book begins to drag, I put it aside and pick a new one. Second, for every five non-fiction that I read, I try to throw in a racy pulp fiction. Variety helps. If you’ve been through Fredrick Forsyth and Robert Ludlum, you’re already trapped in a plot that is weaved by the lure of a truly riveting thriller. A few years back, I picked up A Song of Ice and Fire by George R R Martin (books better known as the Game of Thrones), and I was hooked. Till I had devoured every single word of all the books in the series published till date, I did not touch any other book! Third, I don’t fight my moods when it comes to books. So after seeing a good historical film, I somehow end up reading a book that revolves around history (Watching the excellent mini-series “John Adams” got me to start reading an autobiography of Benjamin Franklin that I saw at the local bookstore). Fourth, I aim to target a certain number of books to finish per month, adjusting the target every month given other time commitments. I do not meet the targets every single month, but the effort continues. Fifth, I keep no fixed time for reading because that makes reading a chore. Instead, it’s ‘wherever and whenever’ for me. It’s amazing how much reading you can get done on your phone if you’ve downloaded a book! Sixth, I re-read books. Yes, the mind tends not to absorb all the details all the time, so after a couple of years, I do pick up a book I thoroughly enjoyed, and select-read it.

So, as the Lahore LitFest ignites the spark for reading among the city folks, let me share with you what I am reading nowadays (simultaneously): 1) An excellent biography, Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson; 2) The 9/11 Wars by Jason Burke; 3) Leadership Wisdom by Robin Sharma; 4) Freedom at Midnight by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre; 5) Straight from the gut by Jack Welch.

So happy reading to all! May this habit get infectious in this land of ours. And see you at the LLF.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd, 2015.

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