Friday 3 February 2017

The Power of Words to Affect Change

With the election of President Trump, there is no doubt that the impact is being seen around the world. Every news source in the UK is covering his every move, including my own homepage of the bookseller.

In a world where reading and books are a source of escape,the impact of Trump's election and his initial actions have ricocheted into the literary sphere.

Authors from the US are refusing to do American tours in solidarity with those restricted by the travel ban. Former Children's Laureate, Malorie Blackman is leading this particular protest, while some publishers are protesting segregation by championing Muslim writers.

Furthermore, the US Sales charts put George Orwell's 1984 in the top spot, reflecting the awareness of America and its wariness to replicate that dystopia. The reading protest in Gezi Park, Istanbul 2013, saw people standing silently and reading books on political equality and commentary. Including Ataturk Kemal's Biography and 1984.

Books have been at the centre of political activism, reflecting history and global events through their pages. Agents are calling for submissions from authors for children, fiction and non-fiction to "increase understanding"  in the US and promote equality and understanding of cultures.

As Lynn Gaspard, MD of Saqi Books said in an interview with the bookseller: "We have to stand up for diversity, for human rights and for freedom of movement for people everywhere. We are in this industry because we believe in the power of words to affect change."

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