A time to read

Book lovers rub shoulders at the Annual Book fair in Madurai

“To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.”
— W. Somerset Maugham

Having attended Delhi and Kolkata book fairs in the past, I had been waiting for Madurai's annual date with books with equal enthusiasm. The experience of buying books in the open air, of being surrounded by book lovers, of drowning yourself in the world of new releases despite the cacophony around, the excitement of stocking up your personal library is unmatched! The memories of puddles of water on the fair grounds, public address systems blaring out names and numbers of stalls for easy identification, bamboo poles lying about, smell of dust and freshly-printed books.

Book fairs used to be the place where one loved to leaf through the lavish coffee table books, compilations of pictures from Life magazine or National Geographic's anniversary collection, various encyclopaedias or some rare editions that were beyond our budget. It was also the place you were sure of grabbing a copy of your favourite fiction and non-fiction, sought-after titles or limited edition books, classics and autobiographies and the ever-popular books on revolutions and leaders.

Full report here Hindu

Books on growth a hit at Madurai fair

Madurai appears keen on growth, going by the increasing sales of self development books at the Madurai book fair. This silent change seems evident at the sixth edition of the fair, organised by the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI) at Tamukkam grounds here.

From the "How to" books by Dale Carnegie and You Can Win by Shiv Kera that invariably find a place in book expos, collections on self development are ruling the roost. "How to make money in stocks,'' cries the wrapper of a book, while another is titled "How to increase your height." The Chicken Soup series was also a staple in the stalls that sold English titles. There were also books like Lord Hanuman and his art of efficient Management, that attracted curious readers. One could also spot books titled Rajnikant's Punch Thanthiram - Management Mantra and Business Strategy.

Full report here Times of India

America Days in Madurai

The U.S.Consulate General, Chennai, is organising a four-day programme "America Days", showcasing its cultural and educational resources, at the American College (AC) and the Gandhi Museum in Madurai from Sep 28. 


The event, being organised for the first time out side the state capital, will given an insight into the U.S Consulate's cultural and educational resources, including those of the American Library and the US-India Education foundation (USIEF). 


The AC will host the majority of the events on its campus including:creative teaching / learning workshops for teachers and teacher educators; English Language teaching workshops; Higher education in the United States and student visas, and daily screening of Oscar award-winning American films. The programme will also feature photo exhibitions, quiz contests, poetry and speech competitions for school and university students, US Consul General Andrew T.Simkin told newsmen here today.


Full report here  IBNLive

On a different wicket

Czar of book retailing in the city, A.K.Kuppuram, is passionate about giving adults and children enough food for mind, writes Soma Basu

A.K. Kuppuram is a familiar name among city’s book buffs. In fact, he is popularly called “Bookram” by many who know him for years. But tug him a bit and he reveals he doesn’t mind being called ‘Jonathan’.

“I am like the free-wheeling seagull in Richard Bach’s book learning about life and struggles. I am an ordinary man who wants to be different,” when he says so, his earnestness spills over. He is perhaps one person who defies his qualification, background and knowledge to own Madurai’s one of the landmark shops and definitely the only decent book store – The Turning Point.

With no qualms, he utters humbly, “I may not be well-read and love reading comics. But I want our children to be passionately interested in reading. Selling books is not a profession but a service. The reader alone enjoys reading the book he picks up and to help him choose the best book is my interest.”

This service he has been rendering in his own way for the past four decades, burning holes in his pocket all along. Yet, nothing can beat the zeal and sincerity of this 60 year old. The sheer tenacity and desire to draw both adults and kids to reading, drives him on his chosen path.

Full report here Hindu

The place to be in

A survey conducted in the U.S. recently showed that more than any other public institution, including schools, the libraries contributed to the intellectual growth of children. It also said that children who enjoy reading will read more and become proficient at the same time.

Reading habit
Summers provide kids with an opportunity to choose their favourite books and this in turn enhances the reading habit, besides improving writing skills and vocabulary.

The Jonathan Lending Library at Anna Nagar in Madurai has become the centre for children in and around Madurai to borrow books and spend summer in an interesting and fruitful way.

V. Karunya of St Joseph's Matriculation Higher Secondary School, who has finished Std. XII, is a regular at the library. She waited for her exams to get over and joined the library in which her mother is also a member. Her favourite books include the Harry Potter series, Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series and the Sidney Sheldon novels.

Full report here Hindu