I have been living in Dubai for more than a decade and rarely get time to visit Sharjah, but when the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), begins in November, I make sure to spend time there almost daily. After finishing my work in the office, I go to Expo Centre, Sharjah and remain there till 10pm. This is my usual practice for a decade. I ask my family to join me on weekends. I am a huge fan of SIBF. Visiting the SIBF is a feast for mind. I feel rejuvenated. I get to buy lots of books from the book fair. I happened to meet many world-class authors in the past and this year also I am eagerly waiting to meet them. Lots of Indian and Pakistani writers are also coming this year book fair. Even global cinema stars grace the event. This year, I am waiting to meet Chimamanda Ngozi, Banu Mushtaq, Rehman Khan, S. Hussain Zaidi, Daniel G. Miller, Jennifer Hillier and Matt Witten. With each passing year, SIBF is getting bigger and bigger.
Zaina Hasan
By email