"So many books, so little time." -Frank Zappa
That's certainly how I feel about my reading life. I cannot help you with this dilemma but what I can do is give you suggestions on what to do in Doha if you love books. And no, reading a book is not on it.
The reading scene in Qatar has transformed in the past few years giving way to published Qatari authors, book launches, book clubs and much more. So of course, I had to do my bit and tell you what you can do in the city.
Qatar Reads is the national reading campaign; launched in 2016 by Qatar Foundation with the aim of creating an interest and promoting reading in the community. They have done different programs to spread the love for books. They offer a Family Reading Program in which they curate books for kids and deliver straight to your house. What's even more amazing is that they have a volunteer program where you can be a part of Qatar Reads as a storyteller, a workshop facilitator or an events coordinator.
In 2017, Emma Watson launched The Book Fairies, a worldwide project in which people leave books all around town for others to find, read and enjoy. These people then leave the same book somewhere else for another person to find. And so the cycle goes on. The idea was to create a free public lending system that encourages reading and spreads love. You can become a book fairy yourself by signing up or join the Book Fairies Qatar. They are always looking for new people to join them and help leave books around town.
As a book lover, if you're always looking for new places to go and read, Volume Cafe is an amazing place to frequent. There's nothing that a cup of Cappuccino and a good book can’t fix. Volume is an amazing cafe that has an upstairs lounge lined with shelves, filled with books. So, even if you don't have a book with you, you can choose one of theirs and come back again and again to finish it.
If you're a book lover living in Doha, the Qatar National Library just has to be your destination at least once a week. What you may not know is that you can book a tour of the library as well. Roaming around on your own, getting lost in those bookshelves is amazing, but having a guide walking you through the heritage collection is the cherry on top. The more you visit, the more you'll get to discover all the hidden cozy spots in the library where you can hide with a book in hand, when it's crowded.
Details
Joining a book club is an excellent way of meeting new like-minded people. It’s hard to make friends as expats. But book clubs are a great way of making new friends. There are several book clubs in Qatar but not all of them are open to the public. The two book clubs that you can be a part of are Doha Bookworms and English Fiction Bookclub hosted by QNL. Do tell us if you know of any other book clubs in Doha.
Details:
What is your favourite book? Let us know in the comments and also, don't forget to like and share this article—it keeps us going!
Follow us on our social media channels:
@ILQlive
@ILQlive
@ILoveQtr
ILoveQatar
You have successfully registered your account!
Please confirm your e-mail address by clicking on the URL sent to you.The e-mail usually arrives in 5-10 minutes.
How ajeeb was that!? Thanks for contributing to our community! Your post will appear after we take a quick look!
