When a young woman from England moved to Lahore there was little to offer in the name of English language bookshops. There were stationery stores which stocked Enid Blyton and all the versions of the Bhutto biography, and department stores with a bookshelf, but no real bookshops. Weary readers were forced to rely on their personal bookshelves or make frequent trips to rent books from musty, dusty second hand bookstores, where managing to find the book should have been enough of an accomplishment to claim it for free. Then came along Jack-of-all-trades behemoths like Variety Books and Anees Book Corner, who quickly realised that peddling silly old English books didn’t mean profits, and so they went the way of greener pastures – syllabus textbooks and stationery. And so readers sighed, and went back to harassing family and friends abroad to bring them gifts of the book. Just around this time, a rather greedy reader decided she couldn’t wait to have books brought to her or make trips across the border to buy them. And quite honestly, she was bored with what she was reading—she wanted to read Bret Easton Ellis, David Foster Wallace, Mikhail Bulgakov, Nancy Mitford, John Steinbeck, and lots and lots of Orwell but these writers were hard to come by in homey old Ferozsons. There was only one thing to do – create a bookshop of her own; a place that would be the last word in books.
Aysha Raja
[quote]An exhibition at her residence was followed quickly by a bookshelf in PFDC, then an up and coming hub for the who's who in Lahore[/quote]
That is the story of Aysha Raja and her brainchild—The Last Word. The shy beginning of the bookshop reminds me of many an author who made timid initial forays into writing – a small exhibition in her residence, followed quickly by a bookshelf in PFDC, then an up and coming hub for the who’s who in Lahore. In the meanwhile, Aysha became the proud mum of a baby girl and what was otherwise considered a hobby, suddenly became a very important concern –one perhaps shared by most reader parents – what will my child read? It’s one thing to have friends who are bad company, but one shudders to think of books who are the same. In 2007, Aysha found her ever-increasing stock of books a larger space in The Hot Spot in Lahore and began stocking children’s books, young adult books and graphic novels in addition to what The Last Word did best —internationally acclaimed fiction. The Last Word’s clientele grew steadily, and for many surprisingly, and just a few years later, it seemed the demand for books needed more space, more stock, and an honest to goodness bookshop. Cut to seven years later, and Aysha has now managed to turn The Last Word into a dedicated, independent bookshop. With books sumptuously shelved from ceiling to floor, inviting readers to caress their pages, encouraging them to read them while relaxing in the shop, or to discuss them animatedly, The Last Word is truly a welcome sanctuary for books and readers.
A cozy reading corner in the bookshop
Tea and company
Perched on Mehmood Kasuri Road, Aysha envisions The Last Word as more than just a place to buy books, she sees it as a social space, a cultural hub and a place to soak in the knowledge of not just books but people. It invites artists, writers, armchair theorists, and of course readers to congregate and exchange ideas; a place where you can have discussions that are meaningful because they draw from the treasure-chest of knowledge in the books around you and pertain to questions that are truly important in the larger picture. But you also have the right to treat it as a refuge—to find yourself surrounded by Gaiman, Shandy, Borges, and disconnect yourself awhile from the perpetual crisis mode that we find ourselves in. It is a place where you are encouraged to be yourself. Pick up a book, read it, talk about it, or don’t—whatever suits your fancy.
[quote]Mainstream stuff does not hone your senses but dims them[/quote]
The books themselves are handpicked by Aysha—they are what she loves and what she likes to read. The shop is in essence, her personal library. The selection of books is, on first sight, remarkable for its diversity. Perusing each aisle, you find books that you don’t usually find in mainstream bookstores, as the Last Word is fiercely protective of its independent bookshop status. For Aysha, mainstream stuff is boring – she likens it to a blockbuster movie, it does not hone your senses but dims them. The main aim with a quirky, eclectic, even whimsical selection of books is to create new readers; you could buy a book with a beautifully illustrated cover, or a pack of vintage Penguin postcards, or even a stunning coffee table book which truly inspires you. Younger readers too, love the colourful, accessible display for the children and young adult section, and quite a few curl up in the cozy little corner while reading or pointing out books excitedly to their friends.
Story telling hour
There is a certain bravado in owning an independent English bookshop in Pakistan which does not take cues from prevailing local tastes and expectations. Parents want their children to read for educational purposes and schools want their students to read what is current and informative, resulting in younger readers today becoming an endangered species. What is the incentive to read, to go and buy a book if you’re not going to reap a real-world reward from it? Getting through three hundred pages of anything that’s not the Imran Khan biography or Fifty Shades of Grey seems to be a waste of time if it’s not for school or university. And that’s where The Last Word has found its biggest challenge – in convincing people, especially readers between the age of five and twenty-five, to read for pleasure. The Last Word is striving to change mindsets. By relocating the act of reading from an instructional exercise to a hugely gratifying pursuit in and of itself.
Aysha firmly feels that reading teaches compassion and tolerance – the two things we desperately need in these dark times. Quite simply, reading allows you to step into other people’s shoes and helps you be a better human being; and books will, if you allow them, transport you into worlds far and near, engulf your senses and plunge you into a life-changing, mind altering adventures.
The mural at the entrance
[quote]The biggest challenge is to convince people to read for pleasure[/quote]
“Were this a sci-fi novel this, or for that matter any bookshop, would be the first stop for an alien being wanting to understand our species....come to think of it I know a good few humans who could do with that too,” Aysha laughs. And that very well may be if you appreciate that humanity: its history, ideas, aspirations and vulnerabilities, all sit in books, waiting to be discovered. You can’t go out and make a difference in the world if you don’t know the world, and reading fiction, non-fiction, DIY books, graphic novels – are all different paths to understanding (or if you prefer, conquering) the Goliath that is humanity. If you want to learn about politics, maybe start with a historical perspective helped along by Plato and Aristotle. If you’re a woman who can’t figure out her life today – ask Margaret Atwood or Doris Lessing. Looking to deal with a marriage in troubled waters – maybe Zadie Smith can help you. Changing your lifestyle because you just discovered your mortality? I Quit Sugar could change the way you look at life. Though Aysha is quick to add that The Last Word doesn’t think of books as merely prescriptive, instead it encourages you to make friends with them and cherish them as one of your own.
[quote]You can't go out and make a difference in the world if you don't know the world[/quote]
Aysha hopes that her bookshop will be the beginning of a movement: “I felt something was missing in Lahore, and I fixed it. But this is a huge industry and there is endless space in the city, and the country for independent bookshops to be springing up everywhere, so that everyone can find something they enjoy reading, and English language books can become a part of the fabric of Pakistan.” With additional space for book events, book clubs and literary workshops, The Last Word aspires to be an inclusive space, where friendships are forged between like-minded people and dissenters alike, where dialogue crisscrosses between enriching ideas and real world information, and where everyone is welcomed. Just take along an open mind and prepare to be enchanted.
Anam Haq-Omer is passionate about books, and currently spends her time at The Last Word helping others discover a love for them
