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| A Brazilian anthology in French. |
The eager crowds
streaming into the Paris Book Fair at the official opening on Thursday evening
provided much-needed encouragement to the many international writers and
publishing staff fighting to adapt in a rapidly changing industry.
“It’s great
to know that people are still reading,” said Constancia Egrejas Morel, a
translator and literary agent at the Brazilian pavilion at the fair. “For
writers from countries such as ours, this is especially heartening because it
means there is also interest in translated works.”
Brazil,
several African states, China and Japan are among the overseas representatives
at the annual four-day event which runs until Monday, March 25, in the French
capital. This year the book fair (or Salon du Livre) is also honouring
Romanian literature, while Barcelona is the "guest city".
Forty-five
countries in all are displaying their literature and holding discussions, book
signings, and other cultural activities, and some 60,000 people are expected
to visit the fair over its course.
The large Brazilian presence is part of the
government’s policy to promote and distribute Brazilian authors in France,
according to the country’s embassy in Paris. Their stand displays more than
1,000 titles, both in the original language and in translation.
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| Brazilian writer Marcal Aquino |
The writers
featured include the celebrated poet and composer Vinícius de Moraes, who would
have turned 100 years old this year, as well as many contemporary authors such as Suzana Montoro and Marçal Aquino, who are now making a name for themselves.
Egrejas Morel
told SWAN that most translations of Brazilian literature occur in France and
Spain, but agents would like to see more books being translated into English.
“By
showcasing the works at various book fairs, we hope to draw more attention to
the wealth of Brazilian writing,” she said.
The publishers
of African literature have a similar goal. For the fourth time, they’re taking
part in the Salon du Livre with authors that include Alain Mabanckou and Henri
Lopes, both representing the Republic of Congo, and Fatou Diome, representing
Senegal.
The writers
will meet the public at the pavilion titled “Livres et auteurs du Bassin du
Congo” (Books and Writers of the Congo Basin), which has Senegal as the guest
of honour in 2013. One of the round-table discussions will centre on the topic of female authors
who use their art to take a stand on social issues - a subject that is
sure to spark heated debate.
African cuisine is also sharing the spotlight as the fair has a huge cookbook focus this year, with well-known chefs giving cooking demonstrations amid the stands of shiny new books.
Meanwhile, journalism about the continent can be explored through publications of the Jeune Afrique Group, which has its own section of magazines and reports.
