"But there is more at work here, in a city long famous as a big market for Arabic writers. Books and reading are embedded profoundly in Khartoum’s self-image and the country’s history, and there is growing worry that the collapse of book culture is a direct mirror of the country’s overall decline. Most Sudanese are more concerned with bread than books, and for good reason. Years of war, drought and economic privation have left deep marks. A once prestigious education system has crumbled, and the number of bookstores in Khartoum has fallen with it. That sense of urgency and loss is driving a new wave of activism, with its sights on reviving Khartoum’s reputation as a literary city. “We want to bring people back to books,” said Abdullah Al-Zain, 58, who started a project with friends called Mafroush — a Sudanese Arabic word meaning displayed. In a monthly showcase held every first Tuesday, participating used-book sellers come to downtown Khartoum’s Etinay Square and lay their books on the ground over cloth sheets or flattened carbon boxes. Hundreds of book lovers, including students, artists and writers, showed up on a recent afternoon, some gazing over the sprawl of covers, some flipping pages attentively. Others arrived with more books for the display. “You see, we don’t like to call them ‘used’ books — rather, ‘rebated,’ ” Mr. Al-Zain said.
Posted on: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 14:54:41 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015