South African Book Fair

The SA Book Fair 2015 is less than one month away and preparations are well underway for a new and improved fair. After nine years in Cape Town, the fair will take place in Johannesburg for the first time from 31 July to 2 August.

The theme for this year is Discovering your ‘Bookself’ referring to the way that the books you read are representative of who you are as a person. According to the coordinators the aim at this year’s fair is to inspire people in South Africa to read, and lots of effort has gone into making sure attendants will “discover books, reading, an author or a genre they can’t get enough of ”.

Organisers hope to bring the focus back to books and their authors this year and see the event as a platform for connecting, engaging and discussing, for learning about seasoned authors and uncovering new ones. “We believe that a nation that reads is a nation equipped to move forward. Which is why, for the last nine years, we’ve brought together a community of publishers, novelists, writers, e-publishers, self-publishers and – most of all – book lovers, to revel in the love of books and foster a culture of reading.”

Social media is buzzing after the SABF organisers announced the official hashtag for the fair: #DiscoverYourBookself asking the public to share the books that have shaped who they are to inspire and motivate reading in South Africa. Local celebrities and socialites such as Jenny Crwys Williams, Tumi Morake, Adriaan Basson and more are also partaking in the campaign by sharing five titles on Facebook and Twitter that have shaped them. For actress Elana Afrika Bredenkamp these are Broken Monsters (Lauren Beukes), Live your dream (Felicia Mabuza Suttle), The little midrash says (R. Weissman), The complete Works of William Shakespeare and Feeling naked on the first tee (Ann Kelly).

The fair so far seems to be well supported. At the time of going to print, 23 publishers and booksellers (excluding small publishers) had already booked their stand in the Turbine Hall leaving little space for more exhibitors. Organisers also saw a very positive response from small publishers who had the opportunity to apply for funding from FP&M SETA for a stand.

The programme is being finalised, but it is already clear that this year there will be something for both adults and children. There will be a wide variety of book launches and signings, author interviews and discussions, poetry readings, literary workshops and forums, exhibitions and displays, and an exciting children’s zone. Schools, education and libraries will be the main focus on the Friday while the consumer will be the topic for the rest of the weekend. The line-up for young readers is taking on exciting form with David Melling (of Hugless Douglas fame) and Gcina Mhlophe onboard. Ivan Vladislavic, Damon Galgut, Rebecca Davis and Khaya Dlanga are some of the other authors that have confirmed their participation at the fair. Organisers also announced a partnership with the Mail & Guardian Literary Festival this year that will bring academic and journalist Steven Friedman and poet Gabeba Baderoon to the Turbine Hall.

In the lead-up to the SABF, the Footnote Summit, which is the largest digital publishing event in Africa, will take place on 30 July at Emperors Palace, Johannesburg. The topic this year is The Future of the e-book: where we are heading and how to get there. Discussions on the programme are What does the future of the book look like? The shift in e-book business models and How does digital impact the editorial process? The aim of the event is to deal with issues facing publishing and to find solutions.

“At the South African Book Fair we believe that the world would be a better place if everyone had the chance and the desire to read more, and we’d like to inspire just that.” Join in the celebrations of all things books at this year’s fair as it seems to be one not to be missed.