Open House
It’s a LIT Month!
From birthdays of authors to facts about one of the early bestselling novels, here's some trivia for book lovers
The much-anticipated New Delhi World Book Fair 2024 is all set to be held this month at Pragati Maidan. Organised by National Book Trust under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, this mega event brings together book lovers, eminent authors and artists under one roof. Scour the numerous stalls for your favourite book titles, and attend insightful panel discussions and cultural programmes at the book fair, which is being held from February 10-18.
The most anticipated reads in 2024 include Knife by Salman Rushdie and Until August by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. One of the best reads so far is Come and Get It by Kiley Reid released in January this year. It is a multi-narrative novel set in a college campus.
Who hasn't heard of Jane Austen's much-acclaimed work, Pride and Prejudice! The novel, however, was originally named First Impressions. A romantic classic, it was released anonymously in three volumes in the year 1813.
Way before the frenzy surrounding bestselling books begun, it was Miguel de Cervantes' 17th-century Spanish epic Don Quixote that created a record by becoming one of the highest selling novels in history with over 500 million copies sold!
This year marks the 150th birth anniversary of Gertrude Stein, a celebrated American novelist, poet, playwright and avant-garde art collector. Born on February 3, 1874, she rose to popularity in 1933 when she published The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas.
February, which ushers in a new spirit of life after winter, has inspired many beautiful poems by illustrious authors. February: 17th by Ted Hughes, A Valentine by Lewis Carroll, Mirror in February by Thomas Kinsella, and 1915: February by Ezra Pound are some well-known ones.
