It has been almost two decades since US tech giant Amazon launched the Kindle. Arguably the most famous of all e-reading devices, the portable tablet allowed people to download novels, newspapers and magazines to read anytime, anywhere.
The Kindle was, and remains, a piece of hardware that reflected the rapid changes in reading habits brought about by the internet. These changes are only gathering pace as the rise of AI-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT upends long-held ways of reading, writing and conducting research.
Although people can now access almost every book ever written in digital form, many observers remain justly concerned that speed, convenience and information overload are leading to a society where surface-level knowledge is displacing deep understanding. As Harvard biologist EO Wilson once put it: "We are drowning in information while starving for wisdom."
Given this rapidly changing picture, it is reassuring to see the enduring popularity of the printed page and accompanying literary festivals and book fairs. Tomorrow, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature – arguably the Arab world's biggest literary celebration – will begin its 18th edition. Launched in 2009, just two years after the Kindle arrived, the festival has grown into one of the UAE’s most significant cultural events, drawing international literary figures while nurturing regional voices.
Featuring more than 200 speakers from 40 countries, the week-long programme in Dubai will include literary and cultural discussions, workshops and masterclasses, bringing together authors adept in everything from popular fiction and non-fiction to Arabic literature and poetry. With thousands of visitors and participants expected, it is clear that many people still value the immersive experience of reading a physical book, newspaper or magazine.
In this age of speed, such celebrations of literature slow things down. Far beyond the buying and selling of books, Emirates LitFest values conversation and engagement. Visitors make an active effort to attend and take part, a process that is utterly unlike the convenience of habitually scrolling on devices. But the event has also proved to be adaptive when it comes to new reading technologies, something reflected in its large number of workshops and discussions that are shared online.
It is helpful to avoid the false dichotomy of the digital versus the printed word. Physical media can often complement digital offerings such as audiobooks. The popular LitTok community – a vibrant corner of TikTok – features an overwhelmingly young audience discussing books in quick-hit video format. Festivals and book fairs are also places where people can discover a novel or a new author but buy an e-version later. It is a question of getting the balance right.
Emirates LitFest has firmly established itself as an important cultural event in this evolving era of content. More than books and authors themselves, the festival remains curious and is committed to inculcating a sense of excitement about reading. Although there will always be differences of opinion about whether a book or a Kindle provides a more fulfilling reading experience, fostering that enthusiasm to read is surely the most important thing.
