Dubai: Book Club sparks literary conversations in Jumeirah

The gathering brought together aspiring writers, individuals seeking a break from excessive screen time, and those who came based on glowing recommendations

Published: Fri 20 Oct 2023, 11:25 PM

Updated: Wed 15 Nov 2023, 4:44 PM

By
Adeena Siddiqui

Photo: Supplied

Emirates Literature Foundation's monthly fiction book club met at Magrudy’s Mall in Jumeirah last week. This time, they discussed ‘The Book of Everlasting Things’, a novel by Aanchal Malhotra.

The gathering brought together aspiring writers, individuals seeking a break from excessive screen time, and those who came based on glowing recommendations. Yasameen Firas, the foundation’s production, and liaison officer led a candid discussion with a cozy group of ten. They openly shared their personal connections to the novel and offered both praise and constructive feedback.

Malhotra's novel, centred on the 1947 independence and partition of the Indian subcontinent into India and Pakistan, provided a platform for socially and culturally informed conversations among people from diverse backgrounds, mirroring the multicultural tapestry of Dubai. However, this was just one of many gatherings, each reflecting the rich diversity of the UAE. The book club's journey has been marked by numerous thought-provoking discussions, and memorable book selections.

The Foundation Book Club caters to fiction enthusiasts, while the Emirates Literature Foundation offers more options like the quarterly 'A Matter of Fact' for non-fiction, book clubs for children and young adults, and 'Connecting Minds Book Club' that explores sustainability and climate action tales.

These book clubs have grown alongside the Emirates Literature Festival, becoming a year-round platform for book lovers to gather and discuss. Attendance typically varies from five to 20, making each book club gathering an enriching experience for those who cherish the written word.

The Emirates Literature Foundation extends its cultural influence through various initiatives, including the School Librarian of the Year Award, educational programmes, creative writing courses, and the Emirates Festival of Literature, a yearly gathering of literature enthusiasts and renowned authors from around the world, uniting readers from the UAE and beyond.

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