Manama: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was once more the undisputed star of book fairs here with his stature, recognised by his Bahrain supporters in the summer of 2006, still intact, an exhibition has revealed.
Taped speeches by Nasrallah and publications by ardent partisans and fervent admirers have outsold all other political, social and business books displayed at the 10-day Al Ayam book fair which concluded on Saturday evening in Manama.
"We have noted a lot of enthusiasm for the books about the success of Hezbollah and the achievements of its leader. The encyclopedia about Hezbollah's victory, written by a group of authors, was hugely popular," a salesman from publishing house Dar Al Fajr who did not wish to be named told Gulf News.
Winning minds
The three-tome encyclopedia was sold for only 6 dinars (Dh58.46), an exceptionally low price that lent weight to arguments put forward by local liberals that the pro-Hezbollah books were part of a campaign to win the hearts and minds of the Gulf population.
A huge poster promoting the encyclopaedia was placed next to the stand while loudspeakers blurted out messages from Nasrallah.
Other stands, mainly from Lebanon, put out smaller posters featuring Arab artists Duraid Laham carrying the green and gold Hezbollah flag and Raghda with a frame of a smiling Nasrallah.
"Religious books sell very well and publishers are promoting them in all possible ways, with novels and fictions coming second on the shopping list," a publisher from the liberal Al Saqi house said. "Books about politics are not as popular, mainly when the fair is held in Ramadan," he said.
No avid readers
Mohammad Sattari, an Iranian publisher who claimed he had taken part in more than 40 book fairs, said that he has noticed that Arabs do not read as much as other ethnic groups.
"Arabs are no longer avid readers. The exceptions are in the countries or regions that were under Communist rule or did not have easy access to books in the past," he said.
The book fair, in its 15th edition, is organised annually by Al Ayam, Bahrain's most liberal newspaper, and offers books published by companies in Arab countries and Iran.
However, religious books have lately dominated the sales, prompting liberal publishers to include faith-related publications at their stands.
