What We Are Reading Today: Rickey by Howard Bryant
Updated 15 July 2022
Arab News
Howard Bryant’s Rickey is the definitive biography of Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, baseball’s epic leadoff hitter and base-stealer who also stole America’s heart over nearly five electric decades in the game.
Few names in the history of baseball evoke the excellence and dynamism that Rickey Henderson’s does. He holds the record for the most stolen bases in a single game, and he’s scored more runs than any player ever.
But perhaps even more than his prowess on the field, Rickey Henderson’s is a story of Oakland, California, the town that gave rise to so many legendary athletes like him.
Now, in the hands of critically acclaimed sportswriter and culture critic Howard Bryant, one of baseball’s greatest and most original stars finally gets his due.
Mini op-ed: We need a ‘potluck’ culture of reading
Updated 55 min 49 sec ago
Purva Grover
DUBAI: The number of times we hear, “My kids don’t read,” “I don’t have the time,” or “Do people even read anymore?” is alarming.
With newspapers declared dead and YouTube summaries or ChatGPT reviews becoming the main course of words, I often wonder: have those asking these questions considered the role they play?
Each of us — school representatives, librarians, parents, educators, children, and even occasional readers — must ask whether we are helping create a culture where reaching for a book feels as natural as reaching for a smartphone.
Even the smallest effort counts. I think of a reading culture as a potluck where everyone brings something small, and together it becomes a wholesome meal. If you do not know where to begin, look around.
Purva Grover is an author, poet, playwright, stage director, TEDx speaker, and creative entrepreneur. (Supplied)
The UAE is rich in public libraries including in Sharjah and Dubai, such as the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, which is proof that access is not the issue.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is embedding reading into its national identity under Vision 2030 through digital libraries, major book fairs, and daily school reading.
Not a reader? Events such as the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature or the Sharjah International Book Fair offer easy entry points for conversation, community and curiosity.
They are built on cultural blocks that subtly encourage even non-readers into reading spaces. You could even start a reading club. I run one in Dubai called The Reading Village and have seen its quiet magic.
Culture is built by saying yes. And no to pirated PDFs on WhatsApp, as well as unchecked screen habits.
Tiny habits can help build an environment where reading becomes as much a part of our lives as scrolling on Netflix to decide what to binge-watch next.
Purva Grover is an author, poet, playwright, stage director, TEDx speaker, and creative entrepreneur. She is the founder of The Reading Village, a Dubai-based community.
