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MEXICO:
Massive Turnout
at Fair Shows Interest in Books
Is Alive and Well
Diego
Cevallos
MEXICO CITY, (IPS) - The
belief that people in Mexico do
not read much may have to be
revisited, said literary critic
Carmen Vargas, who declared that
she was greatly impressed by the
size of the Guadalajara
International Book Fair that
ended Sunday with the
participation of 1,614
publishing houses from 39
countries and just under 500,000
visitors.
"The research studies should be
re-evaluated, because the
success of the Fair would seem
to indicate that there is a
lively interest in reading, and
in books, in Mexico," Vargas
told IPS during the nine-day
fair in the central Mexican city
of Guadalajara.
The 19th edition of the
International Book Fair (FIL)
offered book launches, lectures,
film festivals, traditional
cuisine and international
conferences and seminars on
architecture, social sciences,
journalism, short stories and
even international business. In
addition, several literary
awards were granted during the
fair.
Organised by the University of
Guadalajara, the fair is the
biggest Spanish-language event
of its kind, and the largest
market in the world for
publications in Spanish.
Thousands of writers, editors,
publishing agents, literacy
instructors, translators,
distributors and librarians
attend the fair, which is housed
in a 26,000-square-metre
exhibition area.
Following a tradition that began
in 1993, the FIL chooses a
different Spanish-speaking
country or region every year as
the main focus. This year was
Peru's turn, and several writers
and artists from that country
took part in the fair, which
also offered a special exhibit
on Peruvian literature and
culture.
Vargas, who works at several
Mexican universities, remarked
that the success of the FIL and
other fairs would appear to
demonstrate that there are many
more readers and far more
interest in literature in this
Latin American country of 104
million than is presently
supposed.
According to studies, Mexicans
read less than one book per
person a year on average.
A study carried out by the
Organisation for Economic
Cooperation and Development
(OECD) showed that less than one
percent of 15-year-old students
in Mexico were able to
adequately answer questions that
require sophisticated reading
skills.
Nevertheless, nearly 100,000
young people visit the FIL every
year. They also flock to other
events, like the International
Book Fair for Children and
Youth, which takes place in the
Mexican capital every November
and draws an average of 300,000
visitors a year.
A total of 443,917 visitors
attended the FIL in 2003,
457,767 in 2004, and 494,388
this year.
"Mexico's book fairs are good
business for the publishing
market, as proven by the FIL and
other events," commented
businessman Matías Zapata.
The size of the audiences at FIL
readings and lectures offered by
renowned authors like Peru's
Mario Vargas Llosa and U.S.
Nobel Literature prize-winner
Toni Morrison far surpassed the
organisers' expectations this
year, with overflow crowds.
Also taking part in the FIL were
British best-selling author
Martin Amis, Alessandro Baricco
and Claudio Magris from Italy,
Goran Petrovic from Serbia,
Fernando Savater from Spain, and
Alfredo Bryce Echenique from
Peru.
They were joined by a host of
writers, mainly from Latin
America, who are less well-known
internationally, although many
have achieved a certain degree
of success in their own
countries.
The International Book Fair,
which took place for the first
time in 1987, is "the most
important event in the world for
Spanish-language books," said
FIL director Nubia Macías.
"We want the quality to keep on
improving. As that occurs,
people concerned with books in
other languages will think more
about the Spanish language, and
they will come to Guadalajara to
exchange views and experiences,"
she said, referring to the
groups of writers in other
languages who visit and take
part in the fair.
During the FIL, the
participating writers gave talks
about their work, and took part
in debates and discussions on
the health of Spanish-language
literature, and current trends
and tendencies.
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