Frankfurt Book Fair
I’ve just spent three days at the Frankfurter Buchmesse (pronounced “book mess”), the world’s largest book fair – a cultural crossroads, Jetson’s-style rabbit warren, and colossal schmoozefest the likes of which I have never seen. It was fabulous.
(Click to zoom or reduce.)
More photos of Frankfurt below.
Argentina was the guest of honor this year. Finland is the guest of honor in 2014. Mark your calendars.
It’s very easy to smoke in Frankfurt.
There are several halls divided by country and genre, with two or three floors in each hall filled with booths and little tables where thousands upon thousands of meetings are held, with or without cookies and coffee, to buy and sell the rights to books.
This sushi bar was the best food at the book fair. The pretzel sandwiches were also good.
All the halls are connected by covered bridges (known as “skywalks” in Spokane, my ancestral home).
This mysterious place is the literary agency and press center, which is just like all the other halls, only everything is hidden.
I didn’t venture into the German publishers’ hall on Saturday, when the public arrives in droves to see the latest books and maybe get some special deals or swag.
More photos of Frankfurt in future posts. Till then, our feet are sane!
Nice photos, as always. Frankfurt looks like they put on a great book fair. Were you representing yourself or Books From Finland?
Book Mess – from the photos it looks like a good description.
I was representing myself. Made a lot of good contacts, and got in some practice for 2014.