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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| The Arab novel is a 'threatened species', says pub |
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| jaihoon |
| 10/18/05 at 01:43:52 |
| The Arab novel is a 'threatened species', says publisher gulfnews.com By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief Manama: An Arab publisher yesterday confirmed a 2003 Arab Human Development Report statement that the Arab novel is a "threatened species". He attributed Arabs' lack of interest in books to the proliferation of mass media. "The ominous decrease in the interest in books is due mainly to idle attitudes that favour watching satellite channels and surfing the Internet," Ahmad Zaki from Beirut-based Taaref Publications, told Gulf News. "Both television channels and the computers offer enchanting sounds and live images that books cannot give," said Zaki, an Iraqi. Another major factor in the decline is the absence of outstanding authors. "Unfortunately, we do not now have writers whose style and approach to themes captivate readers. Books are increasingly becoming canned products that are meant to please average readers without challenging their concepts or engaging their intellect," he said. Zaki, one of the participants at the annual Al Ayam Book Fair, said that publishers in the Arab world were concerned about the dwindling figures of readers and books. "When we compare this year's figures with those of the last few years, we notice that the decline is steady and I'm afraid that it will not be stopped soon. This does not augur well for the industry," he said. According to the 2003 AHDR report, book production in Arab countries was only 1.1 per cent of world production, although Arabs constitute 5 per cent of the world's population. "The publication of literary works was lower than the average level of book production. In 1996, Arab countries produced 1,945 literary and artistic books, which represents 0.8 per cent of international production," the report said. With print runs of books ranging for the average novel between 1,000 and 3,000 copies, a book that sells 5,000 copies is considered a bestseller, the report said. |
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board |