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Readers' choice

Youngsters are looking beyond thrillers to discover authors old and new, writes VISHNU MENON M

PHOTO: SAMPATH KUMAR G.P.

WORD POWER Many youngsters in the city have eclectic tastes when it comes to reading

If you thought that the bibliophilic youth in the city reads only authors like Archer, Crichton and Rowling, you are in for a big surprise. Although such books are still very popular, the cross section of books being read by GenNext in the city covers many authors and topics. A quick survey at local libraries and colleges gives you the key.

For example, the `Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams has been around since the 1980s. Now, readers in the city are rediscovering this author and his brand of sci-fi.

"Adams takes his readers through an eventful tour through the galaxy and treats them to a fair bit of English," says Lakshmi V, a student of Kerala Law Academy.

Another author who is high on the list of teenage bookworms is Terry Pratchett. Pratchett's `DiscWorld' series is making its presence felt in bookstalls in the city. Books like `Thud,' `Going Postal,' and `The Fifth Elephant' are among the most popular of the series.

Gopal V, an employee at Yahoo India, is a fan of Pratchett's. He has read all the DiscWorld books to date and is awaiting the release of `Wintersmith,' the next one in the line. Pratchett is remarkable for his social commentary and has dwarfs and trolls and vampires in his prolific character set.

Affirms Sudheer, Modern Book Centre, "These books have a dedicated readership among urban youth and we have many customers who buy his books."

Agreeing with him is Narayanan a staff of Eloor Library, "Books like Pratchett have started moving. But as the DiscWorld comprises a series of books, there needs to be some continuity in reading. Same is the case with Andrew Jordan whose books deal with adventure and fantasy but often in a series.

"However, Sidney Sheldon, Archer, Forsyth, Cussler, Crichton and the like remain the most popular. While Ayn Rand (`Fountain Head,' `Atlas Shrugged'... ) and Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird) remain evergreen."

Self-help books like `Word Power Made Easy' by Norman Lewis is usually read for preparation for competitive examinations like GRE. Say that to Sandeep Jolly, a third year student of engineering, who is half way through it and he will vehemently nod with disapproval.

Self-improvement

"Books for self-improvement, like the Penguin Year Book (compiled) by Derek O' Brien and English vocabulary books are selling well these days," adds Gopan S, staff at DC Books.

"Chetan Bhagat, Rowling, Grisham and Paulo Coelho are among the most popular authors. Certain new books like `Kite Runner' (Khaled Hosseini), `Last Mughal' (William Dalrymple), `Indomitable Spirit' (Abdul Kalam) and `Monk Who Sold his Ferrari' (Robin Sharma) have also many takers among young readers," continues Gopan.

While the charm of books like `Malgudi Days' and `Swami and Friends' by Narayan are still not lost, authors like Vikram Chandra and Kiran Desai are fast catching up.

The bibliophile's landscape is changing. It could be because readers are more open to new and bright ideas and is constantly in search of something new. While thrillers by established authors still grip most students and enthuse them, new names are constantly being added to the list.

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