Are you a reader or a follower? After Hours identifies a distinct breed which picks up titles only if it figures on a popular countdown.
With authors going commercial, publishing houses splurging on advertising and an increasing number of movies based on books, there’s no doubt that the reading bug has caught on. One such by-product of this cultural phenomenon is the unofficial best-sellers’ club, where large numbers have taken to reading only the top 10-20 books.
“These are not serious readers. Just like they get glued to riveting TV serials, they get glued to best-selling books, which are mostly pulp fiction,” opines T S Shanbagh of Strand. He claims there is a cartel among publishers in the UK and the US which decide which books and authors should be promoted. “They choose books which have popular elements. Unfortunately, these books are very easily forgotten,” he says, adding that hardbound versions of most best-selling books don’t sell as they’re expensive.
According to Sriram of Crossword, one of the reasons for successful books piquing the interest of non-readers is the change of environmental factors.
“Twenty years ago, reading was restricted to an elite few in India due to low literacy rate and purchasing power, fewer book shops, etc. And those who read then were serious readers, who inculcated the culture in their kids. Today, there are many who’ve never ever read a book in their lives who want to read, and they’ll start with a popular non-fiction book,” he explains.
Crossword’s best-sellers list is one of the most popular reading guides featured in many newspapers and magazines across the country and accounts for 10 percent of their sales. “From best-sellers, they graduate to classics and the like. I think the whole phenomenon is fabulous,” adds Sriram.
Not everyone is happy with this pop culture trend though. “I hate when people refer to best-selling books to make a style statement. While I think Paulo Coehlo is a great writer, if one more person mentions ‘The Alchemist’ (which incidentally I loved) to be a favourite, I’ll barf!” exclaims actor Nandana Sen who describes herself as a voracious and indiscriminate reader.
While the daughter of Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen thinks it’s great that more people are reading today, even if only popular books, she feels best-seller lists should only be used as a guide. “It can get irritating when it is misused and abused,” she adds.
Concludes Shanbagh, “In India, in the absence of original thinking, everyone seems to be following a similar reading trend. We need to encourage people to read and buy books of long-lasting value.”
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