Feria Internacional del Libro

In an attempt to spend my last days in Argentina doing culturally enriching things instead of just eating a million empanadas, I went to check out the 35th Annual International Book Fair on Wednesday.

I bought a 10 peso ticket and went right in (no lines at 2 pm on a Wednesday, except for the scads of schoolchildren there on field trips). To my surprise, it was ENORMOUS. I should have known, given the fact that the event was located inside La Rural, Buenos Aires' events megacenter. I had been there before, for a wine tasting expo, but in that case all the booths were in one large room, and the book fair took up about five. I didn't even realize the place was so big!

Most of the large rooms were dedicated to displays from different publishers and book outlets. I looked for my former student Lorena, because she runs a local publishing company, but didn't see her. Her company might have been there, I don't know, I definitely didn't see everything. All the major Argentine bookstores were represented (El Ateneo, Cuspide, Distal, Dickens, etc. etc.) as well as tons and tons of smaller companies. There were booths dedicated to travel books, text books, children's books, folklore books, religious books, reference books. There were books in Spanish, German, English, Portuguese, and French (to name a few). There was even an entire stall that only sold those tiny books you find near the Barnes and Noble checkout counter. Needless to say, I was in absolute heaven! The first main room also had interactive and informational displays about famous national authors and the importance of reading set up by tourism bureaus, the post office, the bank, etc. Branching off of these rooms, there were smaller lecture halls in which various literary-minded people gave talks. In the three weeks the fair is open, hundreds of speakers gave presentations in 13 rooms.

This being Argentina, even a book fair is an excuse to party. Outside, on the path from one main building to the next, there was a giant Heineken truck serving drinks and food ("Heineken?" you say? I know, I didn't get it either, but hey, the fair is international). Festive music played over a scattering of plastic dining tables with umbrellas.

One and a half weeks left! See (some of) you soon!