Saturday, January 17, 2015

Bookworms turn to second-hand shops

By MALUM NALU

With book prices very high, and a reading culture rapidly diminishing and being replaced by Facebook, more and more Papua New Guineans are turning to second-hand bookshops.
Shadric Sandari , 19, (that's him obscured, with the red shirt and army cap while the second-hand shop attendant Eniston Garry shows off the range of books at Waigani Clothes Mart ), from Wabag in Enga and a Grade 12 student at Gerehu Secondary School, is one of those who frequent second-hand shops for their supply of books.
Second-hand shop attendant Eniston Garry showing off the range of books at Waigani Clothes Mart.-Picture by MALUM NALU
 
He was checking out books at the Waigani Clothes Mart on Wednesday when I caught up with him.
“The books which you can buy here, including those by some very well-known authors, are very low in price as compared to regular bookshops,” he tells me.
“It’s very cheap so some of us can buy here.
“There are lots of educational books available, and very cheap.”
Sandari said his parents were strong Christians, who discouraged their children from watching television and Face book, so he and his siblings read a lot.
 “Our parents don’t allow us to watch TV and all that stuff so we read a lot,” he said.
“I think Facebook is affecting a lot of kids in their studies.
“My dad’s a real estate worker while my mum stays at home.
“We used to live in Wewak before coming here.
“Our parents are Christians.
“They believe that watching a lot of TV, Facebook, and all that stuff makes our brains go to sleep.”

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