University Bookshop attracts generations of book lovers

by Gaelle Sundelin | Nov 05, 2012 | 00:47 Updated: Nov 05, 2012 | 00:47

In this recent photo, Lina Qutob shows her personal copy of Professor Mohammad Ghosheh?s work on the Dome of the Rock at University Bookshop in Amman (Photo by Gaelle Sundelin)

AMMAN ? Over the course of four decades since University Bookshop?first opened in Jabal?Luweibdeh, the store has seen generations of book lovers frequent its outlets in the capital, according?to the founder's daughter.
Sitting at the bookshop's?Gardens (Wasfi Tal) Street's branch, Lina Qutob fondly recounted a childhood spent helping?her father when he first set up shop in 1969?in Jabal Luweibdeh to sell books alongside art?supplies and stationery.
?Customers used to?come with their children...
Today, these children have become parents themselves and they visit the bookshop with their own children,??said Qutob, who has seen three generations
of customers come?and go.
?The variety of people is what makes this job so interesting, and I prefer the customer contact downstairs to the AC of my office,? Qutob told The Jordan Times.
With her long years of experience and impressive language skills ? French, Italian and Spanish besides English?? she focuses on her customers? needs and?expectations.
?Most readers are?longing for advice and guidance in their book?choice,? added Qutob, who said she noticed?that most customers?tend to seek fiction?best-sellers such as Dan Brown?s "The Da Vinci Code", Stephanie Meyer?s "Twilight" books, or other?books recommended?on television shows.
?The industry itself is changing. In the UK for example, publishers have moved away from hard-cover editions and simultaneously issue paperback and electronic
books,? noted Qutob, who believes that the latter will eventually take over as far as novels and textbooks are concerned?but that art and travel books will remain in paper format.
?Jordanians do read less than in Europe for example but I think they read more than they used to 10 years ago," she said, adding that she remains confident
about the future of her?bookstore.
"Nowadays, they have access to a wider variety of literary works, thanks to an increasing number?of books being translated into Arabic,? Qutob noted.
An Arab Thought Foundation study released?earlier this year found that the average Arab child reads ?six minutes? a year compared?to Western children?who spend 12,000?minutes on reading.
?Also, local authors have started to gain momentum?after initiatives like the Arabic Booker Prize helped stimulate better writing,? Qutob noted.
Launched in Abu Dhabi in 2007, the prize seeks to promote highquality?Arab fiction and has long-listed four Jordanian?writers so far, including?the 2012 nominee
Ibrahim Al Zaarur for ?The Amazing Journey of Khair Al Din Ibn Zard?.
?Ibrahim Nasrallah?always sells well,? Qutob remarked, referring?to this year's other Jordanian Booker Prize nominee.
?This year?s selling phenomena came as a?surprise with local author?Ayman Al Otoum depicting his years spent in Jordanian prisons,"
she added.
?There has been a shift in writing,? Qutob said, explaining that even if the number of new Jordanian?authors remains?low, their style has moved away from hard-line politics to fiction.
?Satires, on the other hand, are increasingly popular and authors like?Youssef Ghishan or Ahmad?Hassan Al Zu?bi? are gaining popularity?among readers who appreciate these shorter political parodies.?
On that note, she highlighted?the fact that the Ministry of Culture is?offering to cover part of the publishing costs as?an incentive for Jordanian?writers.
?You can hardly make a living being a writer. Long working days prevent you from finding the energy and inspiration?needed to write,??noted Qutob, who is thinking of taking up?writing once she retires.
Reading can also be?facilitated through the lifting of sale taxes and?import duties on books,
she said, adding that ?creating more public libraries would be another?great initiative to promote literature in Jordan?. Qutob admitted that she doesn't favour a specific writer, title or genre.
?I usually have six books on my bedside table, ranging from art to business through fiction.
That is one of my flaws, I never read a book from cover to cover, always interrupting my reading with another interesting one.?
?The only book I am faithful to is the Holy Koran,? she said

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