SHILLONG: “So often a visit to a bookshop has cheered me and reminded me that there are good things in the world,” renowned Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh had once said.
The “good things” in today’s world continue to exist despite the onslaught of technology. Despite e-books, bibliophiles still flock the brick and mortar stores and that was evident from the footfall at the 11th Shillong Book Fair.
Ramesh Tiwari of Bookline, which is organising the fair in association with Penguin Random House India, told The Shillong Times on Friday evening that there was “excellent response” to the event. Book lovers thronged the fair, being held at All Saints’ Cathedral Hall after a gap of four years, and browsed through the works of their favourite authors.
Tiwari was, however, annoyed at the weather as the rain played spoilsport on Friday. When asked about e-books taking over real books, Tiwari said, “Digital things are making people dull. People are now realising the bad effects of e-books. Reading from an electronic device affects a person mentally.”
Commenting on people’s choice for books, he stated that different people have different tastes. There is a change in trend of preference for books and more than classics, people now prefer light reading and added that it all comes down to individual choices.
A variety of books — from sports, housekeeping, cookery, philosophy, spirituality, architecture, history to political science — was on display at the fair that started on October 6 and will end on October 27.
