Allow us to read in hard copy. This was the collective message by readers, authors, publishers and academics in an open letter to the President, Cyril Ramaphosa last week. The purpose of the letter was to request that books be made available for online purchasing and delivery during level four of the nationwide lockdown.
Shortly after level four was announced, the organisation PEN SA launched a petition to allow books to be made available for purchase online. The petition soon attracted attention, with more than 3 000 signatures within 36 hours. Currently, only educational books can be sold during level four.
Petitioners included the Chairperson of the Nelson Mandela Foundation and author, Njabulo Ndebele and author Sisonke Msimang. Cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro, better known as Zapiro, said the petition is a step in the right direction for the industry.
“I signed the petition not so much for me, but for the industry. My real concern is for the publishers and for the writers. The only way people can read is when the publishers and writers devote their time towards the cause. There is a whole process of generating books, that stretches from the writers to the publishers.”
He explains that even though there are virtual reading options such as Kindle, nothing replaces the experience of sitting down and relaxing with a book.
“Books are here, long after they said electronic media would replace it and reading in general has a huge impact on the whole population. It generates wisdom and empowerment. During this time of isolation, books can help you share in other people’s experiences and you can develop empathy for them.”
Zapiro is currently finding joy in two books: Jerusalem: Chronicles from the Holy City, written and illustrated by Guy Delisle as well as Red Rosa: A Graphic Biography of Rosa Luxemburg, “I love graphic novels and it is best read in hard copy and not on the internet”.
Rouxnette Brown, the Manager of Bargain Books at Mall of the North in Polokwane, said the importance of reading in a time like the lockdown, cannot be underestimated. “To read, helps the reader to escape to another world. While you might be stressing about the current situation in the country, a book might just be the escape you need.”
She continues: “Reading relaxes a person and makes the current situation somewhat more bearable.”
An avid reader and born book lover, Sonja Randall, says reading is probably the easiest form of relaxation. “A book takes you to another world while at the same time expanding your vocabulary and general knowledge. Whether you read fact or fiction, there is always something to learn, in a relaxed environment in your own time and at your own pace. There are so many reading materials available, from recipes to architecture – lockdown is the perfect time to read and empower yourself with knowledge and information. Dream with your eyes open and a book in your hands.”
A psychologist, Vincent Venter, agrees. “There are so many benefits to reading regularly. Besides reducing your stress levels and easing muscle tension, reading can also improve a person’s quality of sleep. It lowers your heart rate as you relax while reading and it can improve your memory.”
Annemarie de Villiers, a child therapist who helps with learning and learning readiness, explains that reading should be about pure enjoyment and not with the motivation of academic development. “The reason why reading is so good for us, is because it is a whole-brain exercise. The left brain decodes language and the right brain must create its own images, activating the imagination. We can identify with the characters,” she concluded.
The petition is now closed, but the advocacy continues. To add your voice email any of the following ministries:
Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, info@cogta.gov.za
Ministry of Trade and Industry, ministry@economic.gov.za
Ministry of Arts and Culture, info@dac.gov.za
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