Below is the abridged version translated from Persian by Ala Amjadi.

Dariush Matlabi: To answer this question, you would have to look into two cultural periods, Iran before and after Islam. Generally, education and book reading were regarded highly in old Iran as they are today. Priceless and timeless works produced at different stages of our history prove this fact, for instance there is the Masnavi of Rumi, the poetry of Rudaki and prose poetry of Sa’adi. There is also Qabus Nameh, which is a major Persian literature work of the 11th century and it describes Persian culture and traditions pertaining to the education of the young and the old. Many Persian books of earlier periods emphasize the significance of education as a part of our didactic literature and culture. These works were not limited to literature for which the Persians were and are famous but they ranged from astronomy and mathematics to medicine and philosophy. Many of these works were written in Persian and some were written in Arabic language after the advent of Islam. These books were used for the purpose of teaching or were generally read by people. Islamic sayings and teachings also emphasize research and reading to a great extent and so when Islam came to the country, Iranians who had a strong background preserved the same essence for quest to expand their fields of knowledge. In a way, the Iranian-Islamic spirit and thirst for knowledge helped to promulgate education and reading even more, particularly in regional Islamic and Arab countries. 

DM: If we compare thirty years before and thirty years after the Islamic Revolution (1979), we can find how books and book reading were and are actually regarded. Like any other cultural phenomenon, book reading is also subject to the social, political, economic and cultural fluctuations of its time. For instance, before the revolution, people were socially and politically disappointed and censorship and ban of certain books impacted the general ambiance of book readers and restricted reading choices. After the revolution, reading initially became a growing trend because people were curious about the events and changes taking place. Generally speaking, in any time period, the more supportive of civil liberties are governments and their administrative units, the more book readers they will actually have. But this is just one of the many aspects. Also, anytime a country faces intense economic challenges, people are naturally inclined to dedicate their meager salaries to other practical and daily things and book reading or other cultural activities are not really matters of priority then. On the whole, I can say, over the past 60 years, there has always been an increase, whether dramatic or gradual, in book reading. But this does not necessarily mean everything is satisfactory at present. In the early years of the revolution, about 2000 titles were published annually, of course with larger print runs as compared with today. Last year, however, we had over 64,000 titles published with an average print run of 3400. Iranians generally love reading and learning, so if they can get through the challenges of everyday life and their overall financial status improves, we are certain to witness an increase in reading but again, this is just one of the many contributing factors. The main problem, I think, is that people are not aware and do not feel the direct impact of reading in their everyday life.

DM: Well, we naturally prefer and pay attention to things that we somehow consider them beneficial. We cannot harp on ‘intellectual enjoyment’ and keep saying ‘Book reading is good’ or ‘Reading elevates the soul’. While these are true, they pertain more to the needs of the elite and elitism is not something we would like to promote in case of book reading. Ordinary people will become more interested in reading when they learn, for instance, that their salary or social prestige would increase consequently. That is how it is the world over. Ordinary people should be able to relate to their day-to-day through reading. They should feel the need to read, before anything else. 

DM: Most third world countries have still preserved their oral culture. Although some measures have been taken towards documentation under the effect of mechanisms employed in official and social structures, many of these countries are yet to grow out of this stage. We are more inclined to see, hear and speak rather than write and document. This is visible in our everyday life. And that perhaps falls under the habit of opting for the least difficult path. Generally, before doing anything, the correct procedure is to consider the overall situation and consequences, and have an outline and then take action based on that information. But I think we do not document procedures unless we have to. This has always been the case of our oral culture of giving and receiving information. We depend more on discussions and consultations. Perhaps this is why letter writing in Iran has always been limited and today it is even more on the decline. 

DM: Well, I don’t have the precise statistics at hand, but I think as long as we do not have a clear definition of reading, these statistics are open to question. What is actually called ‘reading’? Does it include only books or does it pertain to other media, like newspapers and journals? Are academic and educational books also in this category? What about our religious books and texts and prayers and so on which are read by most people on a daily basis? The general explanation is that reading happens when we have certain questions in mind and we engage in the activity for our own curiosity or with the purpose of responding to more specified goals. What you see in the bookstores of Enghelab Avenue or at the annual international book exhibition is not what the real needs of the country are. Because book promotion and distribution are not functional, annual book exhibitions are always crowded. We are people who love books and book reading provided that books reach us in time and according to our needs. Reading is acquisitional and it is not an inherent quality. Our taste is shaped and sharpened when we read more and more books in line with the questions we have in mind. While we do have very valuable books, I can say about 80 percent of our libraries do not respond to the current taste of their readers.

DM: Well, for one thing, publishers do not take adequate measures to provide books in line with the needs of the people. Their decisions regarding publication of a manuscript should be reader centered; otherwise we cannot educate our young to become good readers. The basic questions of our time have changed and if we cannot respond to this need, then book reading will eventually decrease. So, we are not people who shun reading, but rather our reading habits are impacted by challenges as the book industry seems to produce books only for a certain audience. So, it is not merely a cultural issue.

 

DM: As I said, based on the needs of time and requirements of different generations, books in various formats have been produced the world over. What I see today is that the Iranian youth relates more easily to non-print media and I think we can gain more positive results if we move in this direction. I myself have Rumi’s poetry on my cellphone and listen to it in the taxi and on the subway, because otherwise I normally won’t find the time to read poetry. My time, like many others, is spent in studying in my specific academic field. So when should I listen to poetry or read a novel? The audio book bridges my time. Publishers, however, have not really taken an interest in audio books; these books are posted on the internet by enthusiastic individuals who want to share.

DM: True. And they do not produce books for each generation. Recognizing the needs of the readers is not their strong suit. Listening to an audio book should also be defined as a part of a reading activity. Just like when you read, you listen carefully and think and sometimes the way you turn a page, you rewind and listen again.

DM: Looking at the print runs and various editions, I think you see some similarities between book reading in and outside of Iran. Books that provide general information about any specific area normally sell well. For instance general psychology, general management, general books on education have large print runs worldwide and it is the same Iran. You don’t have to be a manager or psychologist to read such books and they can be of interest to almost anybody. I can say Iranians tend to read books that are written in a simple language while they are also scientific and educational. This is also in line with popularization of science which aims at bringing the basic principles of science to the public. Religious books and general information about spirituality also find avid readers. It is almost the same in the whole world, people begin reading by books which are simple, later their tastes are shaped and they move on to more sophisticated books. 

DM: Books of Persian classic literature like the Ghazals of Hafez, Sa’adi’s Golestan and Bustan and others have been best sellers for years. You will find at least one or two of these titles in almost every Iranian home. Publishers produce various elaborate editions of these books and use the sales money to produce other types of books. Religious books like Mafatih al-Jinan , Tafsir-e-Ghor’an (interpretation of the Quran) and others also sell in great numbers. Next are general psychology and general management books written by Iranian specialists. The rest of the book categories have medium print runs. Also, school and academic guidebooks sell in great numbers. 

DM: Well, children’s books have larger print runs compared to books pertaining only to adult readers.

DM: Because children’s books are published for and can be used by all children, whereas books published for adults have only specific groups of readers.

DM: I can say about 45 percent of the annually published books are in translation. Most of them are used as academic textbooks. Other genres in translation include general psychology, general management, and novels and at a smaller print run, poetry books. There are also books published in very scholarly and professional fields for very specific groups of readers. Books on philosophy and social sciences, concepts of which are imported and originally produced outside of Iran, are also published in translation.

Officially inaugurated in 1937, the present National Library of Iran incorporates many different collections from older libraries, including many rare and valuable manuscripts. The central main branch is located in north central Tehran while several branches are scattered throughout the city. Prior to its official opening, other libraries in the country performed the same function informally. The first prototype of a national library in Iran was the Library of Dar al-Funun College, established in 1851. In 1899, another library called the "Nation's Library" was inaugurated in Tehran. 

The present library also has a new building which combines different faculties of the library in a single platform. The library by itself is over 90,000 square meters, one of the largest library campuses in the Middle East. It encompasses 5 separate halls, each hall dedicated to a different faculty, including Humanities, Social Sciences, Law, Science and Science Education, and Health Studies.  

Another major library is the Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi in Mashad. Established before 1457 and an international center for Islamic research, it has over 1 million and100, 000 volumes of books. There are also numerous manuscripts and rare works of antiquity of Islamic history, a useful resource for scholars of religion and philosophy. The library has 35 branches, 17 of which are in Mashhad itself and 5 more in other cities of Khorasan Razavi Province. Interestingly, there is also one branch in India.

1- The Persian word for book is the borrowed Arabic term ‘Ketaab’. The Persian word for library, however, is ‘ketaab khaaneh’ which literally means ‘house of books’.

2- November 15th is the national book day and book reading day in Iran.

3- In Iranian culture, book is deemed as one’s ‘best friend’ and a ‘kind companion’ (yaar-e-mehraban). There are many Persian poems that have employed this expression. A book is also considered a precious gift as it can ward off unwanted guests like boredom and languor.

4- Evidence of existence of the oldest libraries in Iran date back to the Achaemenid Empire (330-538 B.C). Philosophy, astronomy, alchemy and medicinal sciences are believed to be among the types of books in these libraries. The buildings and books were destroyed after Alexander of Macedonia attacked Persia. Other notable libraries were the Gundeshapur Library at the Academy of Gondishapur (founded in 271 C.E during the reign of the Sassanid Empire) and the Susa Library of the Achaemenid Empire. The latter was destroyed after the Muslim Conquest of Persia.

5- Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi in Mashhad, the Malik National Museum and Library in Tehran, Tabriz Central Library in Tabriz and the National Library of Iran in Tehran are among some of the largest and notable libraries in the country today.

6- In addition to public libraries, there are small or large libraries in cultural associations across the city, known as Farhang Saraa (literally meaning, house of culture). There are more than 33 cultural houses in Tehran alone.

7- Iran’s Center for Media Studies launched the country’s first digital library a few months ago. The library which shares resources with academic centers and universities contains over 800 Persian books, 3,475 books in foreign languages, 19 thousand Persian articles, over seven thousand foreign languages articles and over 760 dissertations in Persian and other languages.

8- According to the Ketab-e-Hafteh, a weekly journal covering domestic and international book news, the cheapest published book in the country is a prayer book with a price tag of approximately 23 cents (5 March, 2011). The journal also lists a book on commerce with a price of approximately 60 dollars as the most expensive published book in the country. The largest print run so far is of 600,000 and the smallest print run is of 300. 1404 and 12 are respectively the highest and lowest number of pages in books.

An Iranian man has designed in a span of 5 months what could be the world’s largest book. The thirty nine years old Alireza Rezaei Aref who is basically a successful entrepreneur and a farmer told domestic reporters that he awaits the arrival of Guinness officials who will examine his work in Shiraz in near future. 

Entitled “Tourism in Hamadan, Iran and the World”, the 700 paged book can simultaneously be read by 200 people. Each page of the book is 120 by 85 cm large. The spine has a diameter of 30 meters and together all pages make a diameter of 9 meters. The structure of the book occupies a space of 1000 square meters. 

Rezaie Aref says he was inspired to make the world’s largest book after seeing the world’s smallest book which could hardly be read by a magnifier. 

The last registered world record is of a 4 meters book in California.