Our eldest grandchild, on the doorstep of her 11th year of wisdom, has already made one more thing clear to me. I, too, shall be among the thousands of people who will attend the 22nd Book Fair, opening on Wednesday at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta. The hugely known writer for children Annie Daulton will be an innovative part of the fair's events. She shall be visiting courtesy of Merlin Library Ltd. Our granddaughter simply devours books by Ms Daulton.
Though Ms Daulton shall be visiting our young lady's school, there is no way the child will miss a book fair experience with the renowned author. Our grandchild insists that I, too, must go along. Many parents and grandparents will be similarly pushed and tugged.
They will probably enjoy the readings that will take place of items written especially for children. I know I shall: Second childhoods too should be lived to the full. Many more others will flock to the fair for the basic attraction: The many books that will be on offer there.
Books have much competition to contend with.
The audio-visual march rumbles on. I came across a chilling prediction. It told that, by mid-century, there will be no newspapers left. People will be reading whatever it is that they wish to read over the internet.
Many already do that. Newspaper publishers are rushing to place electronic editions on the super highway, lest they lag behind the competition. Now too, you can read books over the internet. Or listen to a reading. The electronic revolution notwithstanding, I doubt that the day will ever come when printed matter shall have died out completely. Publishing books, newspapers and magazines will have to be part of a much-changed and diversified media industry. Innovative advertising will need to yield the revenue stream required to sustain a multi-outlet structured industry that includes printing.
Yet, I believe that entrepreneurial spirits who retain the value of the written word shall find ways and means to meet that requirement.
I shall venture to suggest to our grandchildren to bear in mind this counter-prediction of mine that printed matter, which can be purchased or borrowed and read by holding in one's hands, will survive. I shall ask them to include a reassurance that I was right along with the prayers they will send on my behalf, when it is their turn to look back.
Meanwhile, in the here and now, the printed word is very much in evidence, and in no danger of becoming extinct. Literature in Malta is passing through a robust period. I would not call it a revival, for the older generation has kept on going, and energetically so. The great thing about this era is that there are three generations of Maltese authors concurrently coming up with very readable writing, of varying and often challenging style.
The Book Fair, my electronic information tells me, will reflect that robustness, among other things. The fair will be on, with breaks in mid-afternoon, till Sunday evening. I am hoping that our eldest granddaughter will not insist on taking me along with her at the time I usually park in front of my TV set to enjoy my heavy weekend diet of football.
But, if I have to choose between that and a combination of my granddaughter's time before she outgrows my company, and the smell of books, my favourite game will have to concede a walkover to an irresistible invitation.