Jerusalem International Book Fair 2011: Awards, Lectures and Deals

The 15th Jerusalem International Book Fair began Sunday with a thoughtful speech by Ian McEwan, winner of this year's Jerusalem Book Prize. During the opening ceremonies, Israel's Culture and Sports minister announced a new translation fund to be used to translate at least 10 Hebrew books each year.

Taipei 2011: Positive Vibes

At the end of day three at TIBE (Taipei International Book Fair), many overseas exhibitors are preparing to head home, armed with new contacts and a better understanding of the Asian market.

Taipei 2011: Overseas Exhibitors Get Good Reception

"Interesting," "exciting," and "productive" are just some of the adjectives used by exhibitors to describe the 2011 Taipei International Book Fair (TIBE). The mood is relaxed, although substantial wheeling and dealing has been taking place in Hall 1, where the overseas publishers are located.

Taipei 2011: Where Happiness Reigns

The choice of Bhutan as the honored guest at the 2011 Taipei International Book Fair (TIBE), running from February 9 to 14, is both unexpected and groundbreaking. "Bhutan may be an insignificant market in the publishing world but this small nation of 700,000 people that measures its national wealth based on gross national happiness instead of gross domestic product has a lot to teach us," says Jung-wen Wang, Taipei Book Fair Foundation chairman and founder/managing director of Yuan-Liou Publishing. "In these stressful times of unequal income distribution and relentless wealth creation, we need to refocus on quality of life and happiness. And since happiness and contentment can be found in books and the act of reading, our choice of Bhutan is both timely and appropriate."

Jerusalem Fair Announces Fellows

Nine editors and four agents from the U.S. and Canada have been named Jerusalem International Book Fair Fellows and will participate in programs and seminars at the 25th biennial Jerusalem International Book Fair, which takes place February 20 to 25. A group of 33 editors and 12 agents from 17 countries will participate in the international exchange of ideas with colleagues (many of them alumni fellows) and fair exhibitors, and learn about the Israeli publishing scene.

International Book Fairs, 2011

Book Fair Notes: Italy at BEA; Abu Dhabi set for Mid-March

The Italian Trade Commission officially announced Italy’s participation as the global market focus at next year’s BookExpo America. Separately, the 21st Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) will be held March 15-20 in 2011.

Korea's Celebration Of Books

In the November 8 PW, I reported from a publishing conference in Paju Book City, South Korea, and was left feeling that its unusual nature was worth further description as a possible model for other countries. The Paju Publishing Culture and Information Industrial Complex is unique.

Moscow's Non/Fiction Draws International Crowd

Moscow's 12th annual Non/Fiction Fair, running from December 1 to 5, has stayed true to its founding idea of providing Muscovites and international attendees with high-quality literary fiction and nonfiction titles. There are more than 290 exhibitors from 19 countries and 300 events scheduled for the five-day cultural event that features France as the honored guest. The number of visitors braving the frigid weather and making their way to Moscow's renowned Central House of Artists where the fair is held is expected to exceed 30,000.

U.S. Commerce Department Invites American Publishers to Taipei

The U.S. Commerce Department is again offering publishers the opportunity to exhibit at the Taipei International Book Fair, which takes place February 9-14, 2011. The Commerce Department helps American publishers match their titles to foreign publishers and distributors interested in purchasing U.S. rights and titles in Taiwan.

Family Business at the 29th Sharjah International Book Fair

The 29th annual Sharjah International Book Fair drew some 750 publishers and showcased 200,000 book titles—including one by Sharjah's ruler, Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed al-Qassimi, a prolific author, who was on hand to sign copies of the English translation of his memoir.

IFRRO Lands in Boston

For the first time in 26 years, the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations (IFRRO) held its annual meeting in the U.S., with more than 250 delegates from 50 nations convening in Boston, October 25–28, to discuss international licensing, rights, best practices, and copyright issues.

Koreans Explore Digital Options

This year's Paju Book City publishing conference, held last week at this city of 250 publishers 30 minutes from Seoul, in South Korea, focused on content convergence.

Graphic Novels, Panel Discussions and Deals at the Sharjah Book Fair

Kuo-yu Liang, v-p sales and marketing at DBD, the trade book distribution unit of Diamond Comics Distributors, is at the Sharjah Book Fair as part of an effort to bring comics, graphic novels, and manga to the Middle East, and was excited about the possibilities. A panel discussion focused on the need to encourage reading, while Orion bought a children's book for the U.K. market.

Sharjah International Book Fair Opens in Grand Style

The 29th Sharjah International Book Fair opened in grand style Tuesday with a tented reception lit with chandeliers and the presence of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, ruler of Sharjah, the Emirate that thanks to the goals of the Sheikh presents itself as the capital of culture for the Arab world. Sharjah has set itself up as an international center for the dissemination of Arab culture and promotion of books and literacy.

Roundtable Launches the Read Japan Project

A high-profile symposium on literature in translation took place in Tokyo Monday afternoon. It brought together a group of distinguished book editors, publishers, and literary magazine editors from the U.S., the U.K., and Japan to discuss the Read Japan project, an initiative aimed at promoting translation of Japanese originals into English.

Smaller Venue and Fewer Booksellers Makes for Low-Key SCIBA Fall Show

A change of venue and fewer booksellers made for a more low-key Southern California Independent Booksellers Association trade show this year at the Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood on October 23, 2010. The event was the last regional trade show to be held this year.

Festival America Brings North American Writers to France

This past weekend, Festival America imported a varied and intensely-packed line-up of North American literary figures to Vincennes, a city in the Val de Marnes county located just east of Paris. Since its 2002 inception, this biannual gathering of considerably diverse authors has come to set a global tone for la rentrée (or French back-to-school).

Frankfurt 2010 Briefcase, Part II

Last week, we covered what rights the major U.S. agencies will be selling at next month's Frankfurt Book Fair. Below are the big books the largest U.S. trade houses will be shopping.