Sharjah: Eighty readers came together over four months at Sharjah’s House of Wisdom to explore one of literature’s most enduring themes, friendship, through five books spanning the UAE, Spain, the US, Libya and Kyrgyzstan.
Running from April to July, the latest season of the House of Wisdom Book Club examined how writers from different countries, cultures and time periods have interpreted friendship, using literature as a starting point for conversations about identity, loyalty, memory, resilience and shared human experiences.
The programme featured four bilingual sessions in Arabic and English, encouraging participants from diverse cultural backgrounds to discuss stories rooted in different societies while reflecting on the universal values they share.
For the past six years, the annual Book Club has brought together readers and literature enthusiasts to discuss selected Arabic and international works, promoting reading as a shared cultural experience rather than a solitary activity. Alongside its own programme, House of Wisdom also hosts independent book clubs and reading communities throughout the year.
Marwa Al Aqroubi, Executive Director of House of Wisdom, said the initiative aims to create spaces where reading becomes a catalyst for dialogue and cultural understanding.
“Reading gains greater value when it becomes a shared experience that enables people to encounter different ideas and lived experiences while expressing their own perspectives in an environment built on mutual respect and understanding,” she said.
She added that the Book Club reflects House of Wisdom’s commitment to building a knowledge-based community by making literature an active part of everyday life and encouraging meaningful conversations across cultures.
The season opened at Heart of Sharjah with Sand Fish by Emirati author Maha Gargash, exploring friendship and solidarity among women in 1950s Emirati society.
Subsequent sessions at House of Wisdom included discussions on bell hooks’ All About Love and Miguel de Cervantes’ The Dialogue of the Dogs, examining friendship as an ethical practice built on care, honesty and mutual responsibility.
The programme continued with Hisham Matar’s My Friends, which explored loyalty, exile and memory through the lives of lifelong companions, before concluding with Chingiz Aitmatov’s Farewell, Gulsary!, a novel that expanded the idea of friendship through the enduring relationship between a man and his horse.
The closing session was attended by representatives of the Kyrgyz Republic, including Acting Consul General Meder Tursaliev and Counsellor Nurlan Aripov, highlighting literature’s role in fostering dialogue and cultural exchange.
Through initiatives such as its Book Club, House of Wisdom continues to position reading as a community experience, creating opportunities for people to engage with ideas collectively while strengthening cross-cultural understanding.
