Read between the lines and you’ll find there’s a whole lot more to the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair than just books.
Ever wondered how you go about drawing cartoons for a living, or puzzled over how the Nobel prize for literature is actually decided? Well, at this year’s Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, you can find out. Comic strip illustrators, social networking debates, short story competitions and demonstrations by cook book authors are just some of the highlights of this year’s fair.
Organised by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), the annual festival is now in its 24th year. This year it will run from April 30 to May 5, at Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre (Adnec).
Mohamed Al Shehhi, director of publishing at TCA Abu Dhabi, says, ‘The trade fair aims to celebrate literature, promote reading in Abu Dhabi and neighbouring emirates, and act as a networking event for the publishing industry.’ So, wannabe authors can mingle with agents,
swap ideas and meet famous authors.
The five-day event will also host seminars on the current state of publishing in the Middle East and how social media can be used as a platform to network. A digital media hub, the eZone, will give visitors the chance to play with new technology, while a two-metre-wide display in hall eight will give animators, graphic designers and calligraphers a chance to showcase their work.
This year’s exhibition space will be 10 per cent bigger than in 2013, with 1,050 exhibitors from 50 countries showcasing their work. That means you’ll have chance to browse over 500,000 titles. Bookworms, rejoice.
Also new for this year is TCA Abu Dhabi’s decision to highlight a prominent cultural personality. The headline literary figure for 2014 will be the medieval poet Abu at-Tayyib Al Mutanabbi (915-965) – generally considered the most influential Arab poet of all time. Al Mutanabbi began writing poetry aged nine years old, and his collection of 326 poems features topics of courage, the philosophy of life and praise for kings. As well as a pavilion featuring a library of his poetry and dissertations written about him in Arabic and English, seminars will celebrate his legacy and prominent artists will showcase work inspired by his poetry.
The fair will also highlight poets and authors from Sweden, which is this year’s guest country of honour. Mohamed says, ‘Swedish authors will have a huge presence in this year’s cultural programme. A pavilion will host lectures featuring Sweden’s most notable authors and intellectuals, such as children’s author Martin Widmark, whose books have been the most borrowed from Swedish libraries over the past three years.’
Former Swedish journalist Marie Hermanson has written nine novels, many of which have been translated into several languages. Her latest title, The Devil’s Sanctuary, is a thriller about twin brothers – one good, one evil – and is set in a hospital in the Swiss Alps.
Marie says, ‘I’ve never been to Abu Dhabi so I’m looking forward to my visit. I’ll be talking about my work and my background on the discussion sofa on April 30 (5.15pm-6.15pm), and in the tent on May 2 (8.45pm) and May 3 (4.30pm-5.30pm). I will be doing readings from The Devil’s Sanctuary, which is about a clinic that is not all what it seems. I’ll be signing books, too. The fair is a great way to encourage kids to read; if your child isn’t interested, I suggest you choose books based on their interests and read with them to motivate them.’
Swedish author and chef Johanna Westman will also be on hand to help bring Swedish literature to life. Johanna will cook up a storm in the show kitchen in hall 10. The live cookery demos have been a popular part of the fair since the first one was held in 2009, and as you nibble on Swedish dishes you can browse the latest recipe collections at the cookbook stand near the show kitchen.
The highlights
Spotlight on Sweden
Majgull Axelsson, a former journalist, is one of Sweden’s most successful authors. Her first book, published in the 1980s, dealt with the problem of child labour. Majgull has written several novels including April Witch, for which she received Sweden’s equivalent of the Man Booker Prize, while her play LisaLouise was performed at the Royal Swedish Drama Theatre. Her latest novel, My Name is Not Miriam, deals with genocide during World War II. Her work has been translated into 23 languages. Meet Majgull on April 30 (5pm-6pm), May 1 (5.45pm-6.45pm) and May 2 (6.30pm-7.15pm) in the tent.
Former counter-terrorism officer Kristina Ohlsson has also worked at the Swedish Security Service, Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Swedish National Defence College. She now uses her expertise to write crime novels. Her debut novel, Unwanted, is the first instalment in a series featuring investigative analyst Fredrika Bergman, which consists of five titles to date. In 2012 one of Sweden’s largest magazines named Kristina the best crime writer in Scandinavia. Meet her on May 1 (7.30pm-8.30pm) and May 2 (8.45pm-10pm) in the tent.
Martin Widmark taught Swedish to immigrants and is now a full-time writer of contemporary children’s fiction. His Nelly Rapp and Lasse Majas Detektiv Agency series are consistently on bestseller lists and his books have been translated into 30 languages. Meet him on April 30 (10am-noon), May 1 (4.45pm-5.30pm) and May 3 (7pm-8pm) in the tent. He’ll also pop up in creativity corner.
Creativity Corner
Four- to 16-year-olds won’t be left out as a number of readings, workshops and storytelling sessions have been designed for them, too. On April 30, kids can take part in an interactive storytelling session from 10am until noon on the discussion sofa with Martin Widmark and Maytha Al Khayat. The audience will be encouraged to suggest story ideas for the authors, who will create two unique tales illustrated by Abdullah Sharhan and Stina Wirsén, a Swedish cartoonist of children’s books.
Meanwhile, on May 1 over-eights will enjoy Sampurna Chattarji’s reading of The Fried Frog and Other Funny Freaky Foodie Feisty Poems in the tent (11.30am-12.15pm). Kids will meet strange characters including Shampoo, who talks in frothy bubbles. The reading will be followed by a book signing.
Also on May 1, over-12s can join Andrea Hirata on the discussion sofa for a reading of The Rainbow Troops, set on an Indonesian island. The story follows a group of students and teachers fighting for the right to an education. The Indonesian musician Meda Kawu will accompany the reading.
Head to the tent on May 3 from 2pm to 2.45pm to listen to Hanan Marzooqi, the president of the Al Kharareef Storytelling Club. She will be sharing Emirati fables of half-human creatures, talking animals and djinn – supernatural characters popular in Arabic folklore. The traditional fairytales have been rewritten and illustrated by students from Zayed University, and will be read in Arabic and English.
Free. Sat-Thu 9am-10pm, Fri 9am-10pm and Fri 4pm-10pm. Email info@adbookfair.com. Halls 8-12, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre (Adnec), www.adbookfair.com (02 657 6180).
Speak volumes: the discussion sofa
The discussion sofa is in hall 12, and a chance to meet authors for an informal chat.
Meet the winner of the international prize for Arabic fiction 2014, Youssef Fadel, 6.30pm-7.30pm on April 30. Youssef, a novelist, playwright and screenwriter, was born in Morocco in 1949 and was imprisoned in Moulay al-Sheriff prison 1974-75. He has since published a number of plays and novels. His first play, The Barber in the Poor District, was made into a film directed by Mohamed al-Rakab in 1982. His novel Hashish (2000) won a prize organised by the Embassy of France in Morocco in 2001. A Rare Blue Bird that Flies with Me (2013) is his ninth novel.
Another highlight will be a tribute to Tomas Tranströmer, at 8.15pm-9.15pm on May 3. Tomas’s publisher, Eva Bonnier, and the poet and literature professor Kjell Espmark, a member of the Nobel prize committee, will lead a discussion on Tomas. A poem will be translated into Arabic and illustrated by graphic artist Modheir Ahmed. More of Tomas’s poems will be accompanied by Swedish opera singer Vincent Hashmi and tuba player Sami Al Fakir. Kjell will also lecture on how the Nobel literature prize is decided.
Cavassing ideas: The Tent
The tent is an interactive lounge area with traditional majlis seating, suitable for debates. You’ll find it in hall 10, near the show kitchen. Editor and teacher Frank Tétart is working on a project to transform an atlas into a reference book and a record of contemporary topics. The project, called 200 Maps to Make Sense of the World, will be showcased on April 30, 5pm-6pm. Frank will use the atlas to explore global trends shaping the future, such as debt and migration, overpopulation, food supplies and access to water, renewable energy and conflict.
On April 30 from 6.15pm to 7.15pm, listen to poetry by Palestinian Ghayath Almadhoun and Marie Silkeberg from Sweden. They have written a book recounting their experience of Damascus. The reading will be accompanied by oud music, performed by Sherine Tohamy.
