LEIPZIG BOOK FAIR
(March 13th. to 16th. 2014)
Leipzig, January 28, 2014
About red benches and rice balls
The Leipzig book fair opens the spring of books
The countdown has started: more than 2,000 publishing companies, more than 2,900 participants and 350 reading locations are preparing for the spring of books in Leipzig. From March 13th. to 16th. 2014 the Leipzig book fair and Europe's largest reading festival „Leipzig reads“ form the start of the year for the sector for publishing companies, authors, book dealers, media and literature enthusiasts.
„For the Leipzig book fair and the four-day Reading Festival we bundle the new publications from the spring of books for professionals and literature fansin equal measure. This provides a concentrated and highly interesting offering for all book lovers and professional visitors“, explains Oliver Zille, director of the Leipzig book fair. „The Leipzig spring of books offers a huge stage for new publications and classics, literature stars and upcoming authors – whether from Germany, Great Britain, Canada, central and south-eastern Europe or Switzerland. At the same time the sector representatives develop their business contacts in Leipzig every year.“ Amongst the special highlights this spring are the appearances of famous authors such as Margaret Atwood, Simon Beckett, Ingrid Noll, Frank Schätzing and Martin Suter.
The presentations from the publishing companies and authors extend over many genres. Counted amongst them fiction, non-fiction and reference books, education and knowledge, children's and teenager's literature, Manga and fantasy, audio books, DVD and Blu-ray, and film as well as music. With an extensive specialist program the Leipzig book fair additionally invites authors, book dealers, teachers and educators to discussion rounds and workshops for the exchange of understanding.
Rice ball alarm: Manga-Comic-Convention (MCC) new in the program
Whether rice ball knitting, Cosplay or comic authors - the new Manga-Comic-Convention offers publishing companies, participants and visitors to the convention and the Leipzig book fair more space for development. Through a combined ticket the transfer between both events is possible free of any problems and without extra charge. In addition there is a separate entrance to the MCC. As the first topic event of the year the Manga-Comic-Convention in Hall 1 presents innovations, trends and activities involving Anime, Manga, Comic and Cosplay.
Curtain up and bench free: „Appearance Switzerland“
In the coming spring the way to Switzerland leads to Leipzig: from March 13th. to 16th. 2014 the Leipzig book fair is completely under the theme „Appearance Switzerland“, a diverse presentation of Swiss literature and culture. From „Swiss“ tramways, over exhibitions in the Museum of fine arts, up to book dealer exchange between Leipzig and Switzerland: The meeting and getting to know each other is in the centre of focus of the program. Alone within the scope of the appearance roughly 80 Swiss authors will be presenting themselves at the Leipzig spring of books.
The symbol for the appearance is the „Swiss reading bench“ – a specially designed version of the well-known red benches that are set up in Switzerland by „beautification clubs“ at locations with a good view, and which are intended to invite hikers to rest, to read and to converse. The Swiss reading bench will be found at locations where Swiss literature and culture is presented in Leipzig. As of January 17th. interested parties will find further information about the participants and the program under
Leipzig book fair and „Leipzig reads“ create an appetite for discoveries
Again this year Europe's largest Reading Festival „Leipzig reads“ ignites a veritable fireworks of literature. Amongst the participants are Margaret Atwood, Simon Beckett, Ingrid Noll, Frank Schätzing and Martin Suter. At the Leipzig book fair and the more than 350 locations in the Leipzig city centre debutantes and experienced authors, celebrities, politicians as well as artists meet with the friends of literature.
In Café Waldi well-known detective story authors give the audience goose bumps. Multimedia shows at the „Black Sofa“ at the fair abduct to the colourful world of the Mangas. Locations such as the Federal Administrative Court or the graphics quarter can be experienced in a new way within the scope of the Leipzig book fair. Literature lectures at the University promise interesting background information. Illustrators and authors give book signing sessions, and discussions and readings - sometimes even with music - make literature more tangible. It becomes an especially rich experience when the topic of the book inspires the selection of the event location. Because where could one otherwise experience a reading at a hairdressing salon, at a slaughterhouse or even at the cemetery?
The reading festival is organised by the Leipziger Messe in cooperation with the city of Leipzig, the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (Association of the German book trade), Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (central German Broadcasting Corporation), Club Bertelsmann, the curatorium „Haus des Buches“ e.V. Leipzig, as well as the publishing companies participating in the fair.
Anniversary: Stage free for prize-winning books
A further highlight for all literature friends is the now traditional awarding of the Leipzig book fair award for exceptional new publications and translations on the Thursday of the fair. Already for the 10th time the Leipzig book fair award 2014 brings the most important books of the season into the focus of the general public. In 2014 a total of 410 titles from 136 publishing companies compete for this famous distinction. In good time for the 10th anniversary the Leipzig book fair looks back on ten years of high literature, exciting books and jubilant authors.
Reading pleasure for the whole family
The children's and teenager’s book literature presents itself diversely and colourfully in Leipzig. Parents and children can look forward to 400 events at 120 reading locations at the fair facilities and in the city of Leipzig, and to 250 national and international authors, regional personalities as well as well-known TV faces. Roughly 300 publishing companies will show their latest children's and teenagers’ books in March. Reading, listening and participation pleasure is additionally waiting for the young book fans and their families in the reading hut and at the reading meet in exhibition Hall 2. On the tradition rich family Sunday children below 12 years of age will additionally receive free entrance up to 10 am if they bring their favourite book along with them.
Education in focus
Book fair and education: two areas that have always been closely connected. It is not without reason that the Leipzig book fair has long been seen by parents, teachers and educators as an education fair. In 2014 this aspiration is again fulfilled: under „Focus EDUCATION“ the Leipzig book fair combines all education and education relevant topics under one roof, from early childhood education up to school graduation and offers educators, parents and students an equally comprehensive program. This also includes the German Teacher's Day, which takes place at the Leipzig book fair for the first time on March 13th. Amongst the further highlights in the specialist program is the symposium on early childhood education under the title „Education through enthusiasm“. Alone 30,000 teachers are expected at the Leipzig book fair.
tranzyt.kilometer 2014
For the third time in a row the main focus program „tranzyt. kilometer: literature from Poland, Ukraine and Belarus" presents authors from these three countries to the public in Leipzig and the German language media.
In parallel to the Leipzig book fair the Leipzig second-hand book fair will be held from March 13th. to 16th.
Contact person for the press:
Under contract of the Leipziger Messe
Ruth Justen, press spokesperson
Tel.: +49 (0) 341 / 6 78 6555
Cellphone: +49 (0) 152 / 3364 7983
Fax: +49 (0) 341 / 6 78 16 6555
E-Mail:
Stephan Berger, head of department communication fairs
Tel.: +49 (0) 341 / 6 78 6511
Fax: +49 (0) 341 / 6 78 16 6511
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