Book clubs becoming more popular in the Kurdistan Region

"The more we read, the more developed our country becomes."
Book clubs have become much more common in Erbil and the Kurdistan Region over the past year. (Photo: Goran Sabah Ghafour)
Book clubs have become much more common in Erbil and the Kurdistan Region over the past year. (Photo: Goran Sabah Ghafour)

An avid reader established a book club in Erbil a year ago and other readers swiftly embraced it. Now there are ten more book clubs in Erbil, bringing the total number of such clubs in the Kurdistan Region to 20.

In November 2020, Kani Khidir Mohammed announced on her Facebook page that she was looking for readers to join her book club. In a mere five minutes, she received 18 messages. Readers were as enthusiastic as she was.

“When I received the messages, I could not believe it at first,” Mohammed, 38, told Kurdistan 24. “I thought no one is interested, but serious readers in Erbil proved me wrong.”

 Book clubs have become much more common in Erbil and the Kurdistan Region over the past year. (Photo: Goran Sabah Ghafour)
Book clubs have become much more common in Erbil and the Kurdistan Region over the past year. (Photo: Goran Sabah Ghafour)

She named her book club “book club” and held the first reading session on Dec. 1, 2020.

“There was no book club in Kurdistan before,” she said. “Mine was the first one, and it was something new. Everyone was excited.”

Mohammed wrote down some rules for her book club.

“We read one book per week, and I invite the author, and we discuss the book face to face with the author,” she said. “Each member has ten minutes to talk, and the author can directly answer.”

Karwan Hassan, 40, was one of the first readers to join the club.

“In our first session, there were about 15 of us,” Hassan said. “But now we have eight active members. Others join when they have time.”

 Book clubs have become much more common in Erbil and the Kurdistan Region over the past year. (Photo: Goran Sabah Ghafour)
Book clubs have become much more common in Erbil and the Kurdistan Region over the past year. (Photo: Goran Sabah Ghafour)

The club members read both fiction and non-fiction books. They have so far read 30 books, which means they have met with 30 authors. The books range from novels, poetry, short stories to art, economics, and politics.

Two months after their first meeting, three more book clubs were established in Erbil and one in Sulaimani city.

“I am glad that other readers are starting their own book clubs,” Mohammed said. “I hope that one day there will be a book club in each neighborhood in Kurdistan. That is how we can rebuild our country.”

Five months later, the number of book clubs in the Kurdistan Region reached 20. In Kalar, Derbendikhan, Duhok, Bardarash, Soran, Shaqlawa, and Kifri, readers started book clubs of their own.

Nareman Kakasoor was one of the first members of Mohammed’s book club, and he is still an active member.

“The book club makes me read more,” he said. “And I enjoy the discussions with various authors.”

The book club now has four male and four female members,” he said. “The place of their session changes each time they meet.

“Each time we choose a different library or bookstore,” Mohammed said. “The reason we do so is to bring back readers into bookstores and libraries, to make them vibrant with literary discussions.”

The members have different views about the significance of such book clubs.

“It is to build a bridge between authors and readers,” Hassan said. “To encourage the youth to read.”

Other members hope that such book clubs can encourage more people in the Kurdistan Region to read.

“The more we read, the more developed our country becomes,” Mohammed said.