From Classics to Comics: Youth reads

🖊️Jayeeta Das

At the International Kolkata Book Fair, questions about what the youth read today echo as loudly as the crowd itself. Conversations with booksellers and visitors reveal a shifting reading culture. Fiction is rising, genres are diversifying and pop culture increasingly shapes what the youth choose. Yet beneath trends and hashtags lies a deeper question are these new preferences expanding literary horizons or slowly distancing readers from local traditions?

 

Several stall owners who have been part of the fair for over a decade recalled a different past. Earlier, young visitors asked for nature writing, travelogues and magazines on wildlife and exploration. Today, the same stalls display fiction, manga, motivational titles, and books popularized by reels and online reviews. It reflects how global pop culture now enters reading choices at this annual cultural gathering in Kolkata city fair.

 

On the other hand young readers offered their own explanations. Many spoke about manga and anime, saying they enjoy accessing the original stories alongside screen adaptations. Others prefer romance, thrillers or suspense because these genres feel relatable and emotionally engaging. Readers of Bengali literature maintain that the culture is not fading, but is likely to be rediscovered with age and influence, rather than being rejected by the current generation.

 

Cost plays a decisive role in shaping these reading habits. Many young readers move carefully through purchases, choosing fewer books or delaying decisions. Some turn to online versions after browsing physical copies. While digital reading offers convenience, the physical book still holds comfort, ease on the eyes and a sense of ownership that screens rarely provide.

Pop culture exerts a strong influence across the fairgrounds. Social media recommendations, book reels and online discussions determine visibility and demand. Yet this influence is not absolute. Many readers resist trends, choosing stories that feel realistic or personally meaningful, suggesting that curiosity may begin online but judgment is still exercised offline.

 

What emerges from the International Kolkata Book Fair is not a decline in reading, but a redefinition of it. Youth choices today reflect global exposure, emotional immediacy and economic reality. Fiction may lead, formats may change, yet the desire to read persists, carrying the challenge of balancing popular influence with cultural continuity in an increasingly digital age.