Iceland in focus at Frankfurt Book Fair

Oct 11, 2011, 11:10 GMT

Frankfurt - The Frankfurt Book Fair, the world's biggest book publishing congress, is to feature 7,384 exhibitors and give a place of honour to Iceland, organizers said Tuesday, a day before business starts.

Iceland's President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson was scheduled to address a ceremony on Tuesday evening where German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle was to inaugurate the annual event.

About 100 nations are represented at the event, where publishers bargain with agents and one another for translation rights while taking the pulse of an industry that has been shaken by the advent of the internet.

The fair organizer, the Boersenverein, or federation of German publishers and booksellers, said registrations this year were slightly down from a year ago and industry figures were mainly likely to discuss new digital-style opportunities to increase sales.

While textbooks and non-fiction make up a main part of the books on display in publishers' booths, many of the 300,000 visitors expected from Wednesday until Sunday will be hoping to glimpse famous novelists and poets visiting the city to promote their books.

Iceland's government has flown 38 authors to Frankfurt to promote modern literature from the nation, which has a population of only 320,000. Organizers say its native book output makes Iceland one of the world leaders in per-capita terms.

Every year, one nation is granted special guest status and sets up an exhibition to show off its literary achievements. Author: Stephan Scheuer