More than 1,000 authors and speakers at 650 events await visitors to the Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt from mid-October. Advance sales for trade visitors and the reading public are already 30 to 40 percent higher than last year, said book fair director Juergen Boos three weeks before the opening.
According to the organizers, the number of exhibitors and the space sold is at the same level as last year. In 2023, around 215,000 visitors came to Frankfurt. More than 4,000 exhibitors from 95 countries presented their new releases.
The book fair opens on October 15th and runs until the following weekend. The fair is accompanied by two award ceremonies: the German Book Prize on Monday (October 14th) and the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade on Sunday (October 20th).
Trend topics such as “New Adult”
New this year is a separate area for literature, which operates under the label “New Adult”. Also new is an “Asia Stage” for topics related to Asia and a “Games Business Center” that aims to bring publishers and game manufacturers together. The “Audio” area for audio books and podcasts will be twice as large.
In political debates under the new umbrella brand “Frankfurt Calling”, for example, the Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari (“Nexus”) debates with the Japanese philosopher Kohei Saito (“Systemsturz”). “At the book fair, visitors experience all the world’s major debates – reflected in literature,” says Boos.
Roberto Saviano not part of the official delegation
This year’s guest of honour is Italy, which is bringing 90 authors to Frankfurt. Not all of them are part of the official delegation: some – like the government-critical author Roberto Saviano (“Gomorrah”, “Falcone”) – are coming at the invitation of their publishers. Others are part of the programme at the joint stand of the Italian publishers.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240924-930-241393/2
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