Frankfurt Book Fair 2008 in Germany
New Authors and Trends in Publishing - Featured Country Turkey
Aug 29, 2008
While posters and ads proudly announce the 60th anniversary of the world's largest trade fair for books, its history in fact goes back over 500 years, when after Gutenberg's invention of the press printing with moveable letters Frankfurt became the main trading place for the new books. Well into the 17th century Frankfurt remained the most important location for book sales in Europe, until it was eventually replaced by Leipzig. Only after the Second World War it took its leading position again and reopened its gates in 1949. Today it is organized by the German Publishers and Booksellers Association.
Turkey Is Guest of Honour 2008
Turkish literature will be presented in Frankfurt under the motto "Turkey in all its colours". Fair stalls and events like lectures, movies, exhibtions, seminars and workshops will offer information on Turkish heritage and literature, featuring historic as well as modern books and authors and discussing topics like "Turkey and Germany: Literature and Integration" or "Modernisation, Politics and Literature in Turkey".
The partnership of the Frankfurt Book Fair with Turkey is considered even more interesting, as Germany is home to more than 2,5 million people with Turkish roots. "There is a rich German-Turkish literary scene which has contributed significantly to German-Turkish dialogue. This is one of the reasons Turkey feels so close to us, almost as if it were a neighbouring country," Jürgen Boos, director of the Frankfurt Book Fair, points out.
Turkish Literature and its Authors
Turkish literature roots deep in the Ottoman history and culture; it reaches back about 1,500 years and is closely linked to the Persian and Arabic culture. Western influence started in the 19th century with the decline of the Ottoman empire. The innovative Orhan Pamuk, winner of the Nobel Prize of Literature in 2006, is the most famous Turkish author today. Present day Turkey is represented by voices like Asli Erdogan, Elif Safak and Sebnem Isigüzel.
Guests of Honour in the coming years will be China in 2009, Argentina in 2010 and Iceland in 2011.
What Goes on at the Frankfurt Book Fair
Trade visitors like publishers, agents, scouts and translators come to Frankfurt to present their portfolios of products and services, to negotiate licencing deals and to make new business contacts. Many authors read from their works at the fair – they are the main attraction especially for the private visitors. Seminars, conferences and workshops offer in depth business information and discussion, while exhibitions, movies and discussions aimed at the general public deal with issues like specific literary genres, authors or topics.
The Frankfurt Book Fair is scheduled to be taking place around the time when the winner of the annual Nobel Prize of Literature is announced. Since 2005 the winner of German novel award Deutscher Buchpreis, which carries a value of 37,500 Euro (about 59,000 US$), is also announced at the fair - winners so far include Arno Geiger, Katharina Hacker and Julia Franck.
Visiting the Frankfurt Book Fair
For the first three days of the fair only trade visitors are admitted to the air and students are also welcome; on saturday and sunday the fair is additionally open for the general public. Ticket prices vary for trade visitors, non-tade visitors pay 12 Euro (about 18 US$) for a daily ticket. Tickets can best be booked online in advance and include a ticket for public transport, that brings visitors directly to the exhibtion site. Detailed visitor information about admission, location and events on the website of the Frankfurt Book Fair.
More culture in Frankfurt: The Schirn Kunsthalle shows a comprehensive retrospective of Peter Doig from October 9 til January 4. The Turner Prize nominee of 1994 is one of the most expensive living artists of Europe.
Literary news: The Man Booker Prize 2008 is awarded to a surprise winner and his debut novel
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