In 2026, Gulmira Amandykova's Urpaqqa Ulagat, dedicated to the spiritual legacy and Words of Edification of Abai Kunanbayev, was named Book of the Year at the Foliant book fair. The publication also received a grant of 5 million tenge.

The book introduces today's readers to Abai's wisdom and helps preserve and promote his legacy among younger generations.

Scholars regard the 11th-century Turkic work Diwan Lughat al-Turk not merely as the first dictionary, but as a unique geographical and cultural encyclopaedia.

The most remarkable feature of the manuscript, compiled by Mahmud al-Kashgari in 1074, is the first circular map of the Turkic world in history. Departing from medieval Islamic tradition, the scholar placed not Mecca but his homeland — the Zhetysu (Seven Rivers) region and the ancient city of Balasagun — at the centre of the Earth.

Alongside its unique map, the book contains around 9,000 words used by Turkic tribes, hundreds of proverbs, poems and legends, and practical guidance for Arabic speakers on communicating with Turkic peoples.

Scholars regard the 11th-century Turkic work Diwan Lughat al-Turk not merely as the first dictionary, but as a unique geographical and cultural encyclopaedia.

The most remarkable feature of the manuscript, compiled by Mahmud al-Kashgari in 1074, is the first circular map of the Turkic world in history. Departing from medieval Islamic tradition, the scholar placed not Mecca but his homeland — the Zhetysu (Seven Rivers) region and the ancient city of Balasagun — at the centre of the Earth.

Alongside its unique map, the book contains around 9,000 words used by Turkic tribes, hundreds of proverbs, poems and legends, and practical guidance for Arabic speakers on communicating with Turkic peoples.

In the United States, books about anxiety are becoming more than reading material: they offer quiet support. Matt Haig's The Comfort Book stands out in particular — a collection of brief reflections and phrases that do not promise an instant cure, but gently remind readers: 'You are not alone.'

This book rarely becomes a headline-making bestseller, yet it is constantly borrowed from libraries: it is returned, and a few days later someone else is reading it. A quiet phenomenon most often seen in the hands of library visitors after 18:00.

Interest in books in Kazakh continues to grow: demand increased by 31% over the past year. Among the most popular works are Mukhtar Auezov's novel The Path of Abai and Dulat Isabekov's Gauhar Tas and Suyekshi.