At the Frankfurt Book Fair (first day)
Oct. 6th, 2004 09:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakYour faithful correspondent from the Frankfurt Book Fair is rather worn out and tired, though by and large pleasantly so. There are book fairs more intimate and more charming, but none can compete in magnificence and sheer excitement with the annual publishing orgy at Frankfurt.
Last year, some idiots had inflicted the horror of elevator music on the floors connecting the individual halls; I’m happy to report we’re muzak free again this year. As always, there are more books from more nations than anywhere else on the world. This year’s guest of honour is the Arabian World. (There is a different nation each year.) Which resulted in more police presence than at any other time, save only the year of 9/11. There is even police at my hotel, which is far outside of Frankfurt. Which feels somewhat strange.
On the bright side, the exhibition of Qu’ran illuminations which comes with the Arabian topic is gorgeous. I found the model of the new library of Alexandria, which is at the center of the Arab pavillion, very appropriate for this particular presentation. Since the library is truly new (as in, two years old), I hadn’t seen it during my visits to Egypt and was fascinated by the model. Formed like a circle, and supposed to represent the sun sinking into the ocean. Build to contain about 8 Million books, with elven reading rooms, and open to everyone, as the young man explaining the model to visitors emphasized (meaning to men and women of all persuasions alike). It does sound like a worthy successor to the ancient glory that was.
The most touching and surprising part of the Arab presentations were the standing walls with paintings by children from all the Arab countries participating in the Book Fair (17) on them. (For what it’s worth, one notes there are only boy names under those from Saudi Arabia but also girl names under those from countries like Libanon or Mauretania.) Most are water colour paintings, some oriented on the somewhat abstract geometrical forms used in old Arab illustrations, but not the majority, which looks like what you’ll find in any school anywhere in the world (where the kids have watercolours). There was an enthusiasm about most of them that just made you smile, and sometimes, depending on the country of origin, sigh, hoping the child in question will be able to continue painting.
Elsewhere, in halls 3 and 4 where the German language books are, and hall 8 where most of the English-speaking world exhibits, you don’t notice this year’s subject much. Last year, the official guest of honour was Russia, I think, but the inofficial topic of the fair had been the U.S., since basically every publisher had fiction and non-fiction dealing with what could be summed up as the question “What on earth is going on with America?”. This year, there is no such concentration on a particular nation or subject that I could yet discover. Though a giant poster of Bob Woodward’s Plan of Attack stares reproachfully at me whenever I sit down at my occasional resting place. But then, good old Schiller, whose anniversary is due next year, has an equally big poster elsewhere.
Some of the things I found which I’ll check up on later:
- an audio play version of Tad Williams’ Otherland (in German)
- a complete collection of every audio recording Gustaf Gründgens ever made (plays, cabaret, interviews)
- a new biography of the Austrian empress Maria Theresia
- a new novel called “Guantánamo”, dealing with guess what.
Some of the things I definitely won’t look at ever again were several media tie-ins. I haven’t read any in a long while, but when I came across an Angel novel and some Star Trek stuff, I thought I might take a chance. Brrr. (Where are you gone, Peter David? A fandom turns its lonely eyes to you.) The AtS novel I browsed through featured Connor (hence my interest) and was supposed to be set “between Spin the Bottle and Apocalypse Nowish” and delve into the Connor and Angel relationship. Bah, humbug. Poor Connor was modified from his dysfunctional season 4 self into some quippy teen with some issues that had faint resemblence with the original. You can count the number of jokes pre-mindwipe-Connor makes on one hand, for obvious reasons. And this one called Angel “Dad” all the time. Oh, and you wouldn’t knew he’s suppose to be in love with Cordelia, either. Cordy shows no signs of Jamine possession (and this is after her memory returned). Angel, we hear, has completely forgiven Wesley, but Wesley has not forgiven himself, and that is the only reason why everything isn’t dandy between them. And so on, and so forth.
I relearned my lesson. Back to the joy of classy fanfiction.
Last year, some idiots had inflicted the horror of elevator music on the floors connecting the individual halls; I’m happy to report we’re muzak free again this year. As always, there are more books from more nations than anywhere else on the world. This year’s guest of honour is the Arabian World. (There is a different nation each year.) Which resulted in more police presence than at any other time, save only the year of 9/11. There is even police at my hotel, which is far outside of Frankfurt. Which feels somewhat strange.
On the bright side, the exhibition of Qu’ran illuminations which comes with the Arabian topic is gorgeous. I found the model of the new library of Alexandria, which is at the center of the Arab pavillion, very appropriate for this particular presentation. Since the library is truly new (as in, two years old), I hadn’t seen it during my visits to Egypt and was fascinated by the model. Formed like a circle, and supposed to represent the sun sinking into the ocean. Build to contain about 8 Million books, with elven reading rooms, and open to everyone, as the young man explaining the model to visitors emphasized (meaning to men and women of all persuasions alike). It does sound like a worthy successor to the ancient glory that was.
The most touching and surprising part of the Arab presentations were the standing walls with paintings by children from all the Arab countries participating in the Book Fair (17) on them. (For what it’s worth, one notes there are only boy names under those from Saudi Arabia but also girl names under those from countries like Libanon or Mauretania.) Most are water colour paintings, some oriented on the somewhat abstract geometrical forms used in old Arab illustrations, but not the majority, which looks like what you’ll find in any school anywhere in the world (where the kids have watercolours). There was an enthusiasm about most of them that just made you smile, and sometimes, depending on the country of origin, sigh, hoping the child in question will be able to continue painting.
Elsewhere, in halls 3 and 4 where the German language books are, and hall 8 where most of the English-speaking world exhibits, you don’t notice this year’s subject much. Last year, the official guest of honour was Russia, I think, but the inofficial topic of the fair had been the U.S., since basically every publisher had fiction and non-fiction dealing with what could be summed up as the question “What on earth is going on with America?”. This year, there is no such concentration on a particular nation or subject that I could yet discover. Though a giant poster of Bob Woodward’s Plan of Attack stares reproachfully at me whenever I sit down at my occasional resting place. But then, good old Schiller, whose anniversary is due next year, has an equally big poster elsewhere.
Some of the things I found which I’ll check up on later:
- an audio play version of Tad Williams’ Otherland (in German)
- a complete collection of every audio recording Gustaf Gründgens ever made (plays, cabaret, interviews)
- a new biography of the Austrian empress Maria Theresia
- a new novel called “Guantánamo”, dealing with guess what.
Some of the things I definitely won’t look at ever again were several media tie-ins. I haven’t read any in a long while, but when I came across an Angel novel and some Star Trek stuff, I thought I might take a chance. Brrr. (Where are you gone, Peter David? A fandom turns its lonely eyes to you.) The AtS novel I browsed through featured Connor (hence my interest) and was supposed to be set “between Spin the Bottle and Apocalypse Nowish” and delve into the Connor and Angel relationship. Bah, humbug. Poor Connor was modified from his dysfunctional season 4 self into some quippy teen with some issues that had faint resemblence with the original. You can count the number of jokes pre-mindwipe-Connor makes on one hand, for obvious reasons. And this one called Angel “Dad” all the time. Oh, and you wouldn’t knew he’s suppose to be in love with Cordelia, either. Cordy shows no signs of Jamine possession (and this is after her memory returned). Angel, we hear, has completely forgiven Wesley, but Wesley has not forgiven himself, and that is the only reason why everything isn’t dandy between them. And so on, and so forth.
I relearned my lesson. Back to the joy of classy fanfiction.
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no subject
Date: 2004-10-06 11:39 am (UTC)Ooh. I'd love to hear more about that one.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-06 11:47 am (UTC)How about some book recs for us stay-at-home types?
no subject
Date: 2004-10-07 12:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-06 02:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-07 12:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-06 02:58 pm (UTC)Keep this report up, I am going to impress my boss with insider knowledge, hah!
no subject
Date: 2004-10-07 12:10 am (UTC)Expect more confidential details tomorrow, featuring two of the more famous Book Fair parties.*g*
no subject
Date: 2004-10-06 03:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-07 12:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-07 04:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-06 03:42 pm (UTC)He's currently writing Madrox and will soon be returning to The Incredible Hulk for Marvel.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-07 12:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-06 03:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-07 12:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-06 07:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-07 07:55 am (UTC)To which my response was, wow, I didn't know there were enough books published in Sindarin for that to be worth while! ;) What can I say, I'm slow. Seriously, it sounds impressive. I do love libraries...
The book fair sounds highly cool. I'd love to visit it, though only if I had enough money to satisfy at least a *few* of my book cravings :)
PS Who is the man in your icon? I don't think I recognise him.
He is...
Date: 2004-10-08 12:10 am (UTC)