Book Don: Where literature fights the algorithm

There was a time when every reader's bookshelf had its own personality. People often discovered new books simply by talking to other fellow readers. Western books were hard to come by, and for people in Dhaka, it meant making a run to Nilkhet, Bookworm, Boi Bichitra and a handful of other shops. Readers relied on their own judgment, picking up whatever they found interesting.

Sketch: TBS

Then came social media. 

The once isolating activity of reading a book by yourself created its own community. People with similar interests could now connect and enjoy their shared passion. 

As the community evolved, a new niche of book-influencers and bloggers emerged, dubbed as 'BookTubers', 'Bookstagrammers', and so on. While many had good intentions, much of their content now revolves around overly hyped titles—often raunchy, paid promotions, or simply mediocre–all in the name of chasing an invisible algorithm. 

As a result, it seemed like the same five titles appeared everywhere, and the novelty of discovering a new book was lost. 

It was around this time that I came across a YouTube channel: Book Don.

Book Don, a podcast about books hosted by Farooq Shams and Shakib Chowdhury, isn't your typical, neatly curated, aesthetically pleasing channel where creators rave about yet another forgettable bestseller. Instead, it introduces books that rarely show up on your algorithm—underrated, unusual, and truly engaging.

Shakib Chowdhury, the vocalist, bassist, and lyricist of Cryptic Fate, as well as Chief Creative Officer at the advertising agency Bitopi, is a man of many talents. At heart, he is a pop culture enthusiast. He launched Geek Myth in 2017, a channel dedicated to movies and pop culture, and Book Don as a segment in 2020. Later on, he would create a separate channel for Book Don, dedicating the space to literature, with new episodes coming out every Tuesday. 

So what was the idea behind these channels?

"I came across videos on the internet where a group of friends would casually talk about random things and call it a podcast. It made me realise—my friends and I do the same whenever we're together. So why not document these conversations? That's how Geek Myth started," shared Shakib.

He continues, "In 2020, when everyone was stuck at home and people began picking up books again, I had another idea. Why not talk about books too? That's when Book Don came to life."

What sets his channel apart from mainstream book bloggers is the content itself. Alongside English novels, the channel features Bangla books such as 'Surjer Din' by Humayun Ahmed and dissects topics such as the issues in the local manga industry.

Book Don also features a segment where indie authors are invited to discuss their books—not through formal interviews, but through laid-back conversations between two book lovers.

"It was all coincidental, really—just luck. I tweeted JCM Berne, the author of 'The Hybrid Helix' series. He noticed the Bangladesh flag next to my name, and to my surprise, it caught his attention. He's married to a Sylheti woman—from my hometown, so that's how the connection began," shared Shakib. 

He continues, "Once he came on the show, it sparked a chain reaction, with other indie authors discovering the channel and showing interest. That's how one of my favourite authors, Shami Stovall, author of 'The Chronos Chronicles' series, ended up on Book Don as well," shared Shakib.

Book Don finds its success in remaining niche, but having access to lesser-known titles is an important factor. As the same JK Rowling and Dan Brown novels have circulated the shelves of local bookshops for years, Book Don found its primary challenge finding the hidden gems in the first place.

Shakib was able to combat this by letting go of the materialistic side of reading and embracing the digital medium.

"I don't necessarily need to hold or smell books—I just want to read a good story. So when I got hold of a Kindle, it opened up new doors for me and I discovered a whole new range of books that aren't discussed in mainstream media," reflected Shakib. 

As an advertiser by profession, Shakib has observed how traditional publishing has started to pick up on trends that go viral on social media, producing similar stories in different settings to match audience demand. But does he see Book Don following that same path?

"I started this channel simply to share and talk about things that interest me," he said. "I believe Book Don will always remain niche and never become commercialised, and that's a good thing. Not everything needs to be widely popular. Some things work better when they're less known," concluded the reader and professional conversationalist.