Aabhas Sharma’s “Plots of gold” (August 13) was an interesting read. However, the tradition of pulp fiction can be traced to the 1930s when Devakinandan Khatri wrote Chandrakanta. The novel was so popular that he came out with Chandrakanta Santati in 24 parts and Bhootnath in 21 parts. It is believed that the author’s appeal made many people learn Hindi. While pulp fiction makes the author rich, it may leave the reader poorer in knowledge because people read these books purely for entertainment. This is not to suggest that books woven around crime, sex or romance are worthless. Agatha Christie is read for the literary value of her work.
Y G Chouksey, Pune
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