Emanuela Karastoyanova
I recently read in a blog the following: "People read. They read blogs. They read the billboards. They read menus. They read the titles of the songs from their WinAmplists. They read the comments in FaceBook. They read magazines. They read newspapers. They read the names of clothing stores in their work time. They read also much more, because the books are not the only thing one can read! But at least they read! "
I agree with this statement. I would even add the following: They read the messages on their mobile phones, they read lengthy, complex instructions on how to use their normal and digital cameras, in order to capture forever in the best possible way and the best moments of their life. They read the directions on how to do this or that, guides on how to get from here to there, stories on-line or not, gossip and advice books for practically everything, because nowadays everything proves to be important. We read constantly and in many languages. We increasingly become polyglots. But to our relief this is what they do also the people in the neighboring countries. This is what the neighbors of neighbors do as well.... Scientists say that if all the texts that mankind created, whether we are talking about the masterpieces of Shakespeare or a receipt of purchases in the supermarket, are put in writing, than the paper will have a length equal to the length of the dozens of circles around the Earth Orb! Sounds amazing.
But what else do we read today other than the brief and relevant information without which our lives would be turned into a nightmare? Do we read books? And if so, what kind? And how? An answer to this question we sought in the "Festival of the Book", which takes place from 17th to 30th May in the Zapeio hall in Athens. This year in the bazaar are taking part 120 Greek and foreign publishers. On the stands we see dictionaries, textbooks, children's stories, classics, fiction, crime novels and poetry from all around the world. About whether the Greeks read and what do they prefer the most we asked Catherina Kotopoulou from S. I. Zaharopulos Publishing. "They read, of course. They read. Now that the crisis came they read. There are not many more ways to spend their free time other than this. Otherwise you know how it is. When one thinks only of pleasure the spirit grows poor. A 19-year-old girl just came and bought a book of Cavafis. I felt very good. Unfortunately men are still low readers. Out of every 10 buyers 8 are women, and only two are men. This is sad. We have years of observetaions as publishers. Men just do not read." For modern readers' tastes Catherina Kotopoulou says: "It make impression to us that there is a return to classics. Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy are particularly often bought. But the younger generation has some terribly harmful habits. It pays attention to whether the covers are beautiful, rather than to the content. And the first thing they do to decide whether to buy a book is to see the brief description of its contents on the back. And there are books from the classics, which if you read on back what it says you will not buy them ... However if they see beautiful covers and interesting text they are buying. And often there is nothing inside. But parents and teachers are guilty for this. And television. I have no requirements for the private channels, but have huge ones for the state ones. They have not spent a cent for the advertising of classical literature. And cooking shows and publishers of gastronomy books there are as many as you want. "
"The festival of the book" is held for the 33rd time. This year besides the Union of Greek publishers in the initiative took part also the Society of Greek Physicists and the municipality of the city. The aim as always is to strengthen the role of culture and education in our lives. Judging by the number of visitors the Bazaar defined has success. In the late afternoon after the working hours many Athenian come to look at the stalls and buy something to read.
Sad, however, is the balance of the President of the Union of Greek publishers, Lucas Rinopoulos: "The economic crisis and the threat that the country may regress reaffirm our opinion that in our country we have systematically ignored what the other developed countries, mainly from European Union started from: Education and Culture."
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