Books, readers, and dialogue: Chișinău's literary event highlights
Several teachers, librarians, and students took part in an event aimed at promoting reading and fostering dialogue between writers and readers.
The participants read and discussed three literary works, each targeted at a specific audience of readers. Two of these works caught the attention of teenagers, while the third was directed at an adult audience, offering a reflection on the relationship between humans, nature, and traditions.
The lively discussion about the three books began with the readers' opinions on Doggy by Maria Pilchin.
“It sheds light on current issues. It addresses the bullying phenomenon in schools and the relationships between children, where they are valued for what their parents represent rather than for what they can achieve.”
“It reveals an extraordinary story about a boy who struggles to overcome adversity and save his future.”
Participating in numerous meetings with readers, the discussions about Doggy were significant for the author.
“It was an ongoing lesson, a constant learning process – meeting your readers means learning from them, receiving this reciprocal feedback where they sometimes tell you what they would like to read in your future books,” said writer Maria Pilchin.
“A book cannot exist without its readers, and we know that readers here rarely seek out books; they don’t go to bookstores to buy them or libraries to borrow them. So, if the mountain doesn’t come to Muhammad, Muhammad goes to the mountain,” said writer Grigore Chiper.
Grigore Chiper's book With a Novel on Vacation captivated teenagers:
“A wonderful book, I read it twice at home and with my brother, it’s engaging, interesting, full of adventures. The author, Grigore Chiper, recounts how he goes on vacation and takes a novel with him each time.”
“While he wanted to find refuge in a book, others wanted to watch a Russian series. This reflects today’s situation, where we are absorbed by all the technologies and innovations surrounding us, leaving little time to read more books.”
Even though she did not participate in the reading, for Lorina Bălteanu, the author of Tied with a Rope to the Earth, the opinions of readers are very important. The writer, who lives in Paris, had previously participated in meetings with readers.
“It’s a jewel of a book, a book I associate with a woman-Scheherazade because, being charismatic, it invites you to read, it fascinates you with how it’s written, the way it was conceived, and how it looks,” mentions a reader.
“It’s the 21st edition of the longest-running reading program at the B.P. Hașdeu Municipal Library. In this edition, we managed to invite about five thousand Chisinau residents to read these books included in the program, a number that pleases and honours us,” said Maria Harjevschi, the director of the B.P. Hașdeu Municipal Library.
While the authors of the three books will continue meeting with readers, the organisers of the program are busy preparing for another reading event scheduled for next year, titled Chișinău Reads 2025, reflecting the continued success of this reading initiative.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
