A New Beginning

Despite being a far-from-literary-genius myself, I have the audacity to judge writers and sentence them to abandonment. I am hardly certain about how many people would agree with me in this, but based on what I have experienced, I have developed a habit of averting myself from writers who write too much (and marry too many times). Waiting or expecting is a laborious assignment; just as absence makes the heart grow fonder, anticipation makes it grow more desirous and more demanding because, having waited for it, we assume a right of being presented with the best work ever. I have certain (well-deserved) regard for writers who take their time researching for a book or may be just writing it with complete focus. And as I said, I am not a great fan of those who just feel a compulsion to produce greater mass of printed paper than everybody else. It is not because their books are always not good; but they are just good, not memorable and not much valuable; goodness and value are two different things. Perhaps this would more concisely explain all my ramblings:

گاہے گاہے کی ملاقات ہی اچھی ہے  امیرؔ

قدر  کھو  دیتا  ہے  ہر  روز   کا   آنا   جانا !

So, why I am suddenly taking the trouble to go philosophical? As it happened, the first news my laptop brought as I opened it today was that Khaled Hosseini's next book, And The Mountains Echoed, is scheduled to be published on May 21st this year, six years after the launch of his previous book A Thousand Splendid Suns. Khaled Hosseini is one of the most-read writers and a great many people who have read his books, The Kite runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, are admirers of his superb story-telling. I think The Kite Runner is the one which is commonly read and highly rated by most of my friends on Goodreads. These two books are among some of the most memorable ones. But up till now, reading Khaled Hosseini's books has been a rare feat; there are just two of them; which had to be taken slowly and savored. Now, we have something to anticipate! 

For better or worse (you are free to choose your own philosophy) May 21st is still 53 days ahead! which means, for me, it is a new beginning; a beginning of expectation, waiting and recollecting (of Hosseini's previous books). No need to tell how much I hope that it will be just as good as the others, if not better.

Happy Reading to all (me inclusive) !!