Some books are not hyped, they just find their way to readers’ hearts without any effort. They read it and spread the word about it. And this is exactly how they get their rightful recognition that does not demand any thorough marketing. “Life in the clock tower valley” a debut work by Shakoor Rather is one such masterpiece. After crossing readers’ hearts and leaving an impact on their minds, GQ and The Independent recognised the book too as top reads in literary fiction.
Back in October 2021, the book-club members of My Secret Bookshelf read the book as a part of their book of the month (BOTM) October. The book was introduced to the club by the publisher, Speaking Tigers. Through My Secret Bookshelf’s collaboration, the book reached the members whose response was overwhelming. The discussion and feedback were very impressive. Readers didn’t miss the chance to flaunt their reading experience on social media. ‘The “Life in the clock tower valley” book stands as a gem to my bookshelf’, quotes one of the members.
Later in October, the club conducted their online monthly meetup along with author Shakoor Rather. The session ran for approximately 2+ hours and was highly engaging. Abhishikta Ray, who is a teacher from Kolkata and a member of the book club, moderated this session. The session started with an enthralling interview with the author followed by an open house. Every attendee had something to share, be an opinion or a feedback. Shakoor considered them all. Shakoor Rather who’s work profile includes working for PTI as a senior editor responded to every query interactively. No doubt after the session all the attendees were left mesmerized by the charismatic personality of Mr. Shakoor Rather. His book has been a part of many literary festivals across India.
As for My Secret Bookshelf, since 2018, the community has been recognising Indian authors and promoting them through various means. The online bookstore, book-club and meet-ups are all different ways in which My Secret Bookshelf unites authors and readers.
To know more about My Secret Bookshelf visit www.mysecretbookshelf.co.in
This article is written by Aiman Arfi. Aiman is a Physics graduate and a freelance content curator.
She is a passionate reader who loves to review books.
