While visiting the Abu Dhabi Book Fair today, bestselling Swedish author Henning Mankell expressed his appreciation for the stories of 1001 Nights. “It is one of the most important books in my life and formed my first impression of the Arabian world,” he said. ”I have a dream that every child in the world should read 1001 Nights, because if every child does that, we will become much closer culturally.”
A crowd of fifty gathered on Thursday evening to listen as Mankell’s talk in which he praised the UAE for fighting illiteracy and encouraging reading among children. “I’m used to living in Southern Africa where literacy is a problem. I think it’s a shame in 2009 that so many boys are not given the tool of reading and writing. One of the most important things you can do as a writer is talk with the next generation. As a grownup you have an enormous responsibility. This is what I try to do.”
Mankell, who still divides his time between Maputo, Mozambique and Sweden – “one foot in the sand and one foot in the snow” — said he was confident in the future of the book. “Books are not going to die. What will change is the distribution. Ebooks mean that I can be in Africa and instantly download a book. The bookstores may disappear and that is a shame for many, but it does not mean the end of books.”
He also offered hope for fans when he reveals that he was 25 pages from finishing a tenth Kurt Wallander mystery.
“Actually, it is finished, but not yet written,” he said.
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