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Nordic literature at Göteborg Book Fair 2012

Next year Göteborg Book Fair will be a true Nordic cultural manifestation! In
cooperation with the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers, as well as different organisations and publishers from the Nordic region, the Book Fair will focus on Nordic literature in 2012.

-Interest in Nordic literature is growing and growing. And so is interest in the Nordic way of life. We have many things to share and much to discuss with others. The internationally renowned Göteborg Book Fair is a wonderful venue for this during 2012, a year of many different anniversaries, commented Halldór Ásgrimsson, General Secretary of the Nordic Council of Ministers, and Jan-Erik Enestam, President of the Nordic Council.

In 2012 the Nordic Council celebrates its 60th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of the awarding of the first Nordic Council literature prize, while 40 plus one years have
gone since the Nordic countries agreed to cooperate at a ministerial level, and founded the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Göteborg Book Fair 2012 takes place the 27th-30th September.

International themes over the years

2010 Africa in focus

– My impression is that the African theme has had an important breakthrough both at the Book Fair and in the media reporting from the Fair. Many of the African writers have said they've never attended a better fair. And as an extra, unexpected side effect, they've said it's been a fantastic opportunity to meet each other as well. Our hope is that the African theme will lead to closer contacts between Swedish and African writers, and that the number of books translated into Swedish will continue on its upward trend from 24 titles this year, commented the main partner Nordic Africa Institute's Director Carin Norberg, who is also delighted with the Africa 2010 stand.

– It's been an oasis of calm from the Book Fair crowds and worked well as a setting for our talks which have been broadcast live to libraries and cultural centres in Sweden and on SIDA's website. With few exceptions, all 70 seats have been filled during the different events.

Göteborg Book Fair and the Nordic Africa Institute worked together with SIDA, the Swedish Arts Council, African embassies in Scandinavia and several publishers in arranging the focal theme at the 2010 Book Fair.

You will find more information at www.afrika2010.se/english

2009 Spain in focus

A broad Spanish theme was presented at the Book Fair 2009. In the seminars - over forty of them - the emphasis was on modern Spanish literature. Leading writers such as Bernardo Atxaga, Rosa Montero and Javier Marías presented an overview of where Spanish literature is today and where it is headed. Naturally Latin America was also represented when the discussion turns to books written in Spanish. Isabel Allende, Chile/USA, Ignacio Padilla, Mexico, and Horacio Castellanos Moya, El Salvador, just to name a few, broadened the picture still further. Seminars about society, history and much more was also included in the Spanish theme.

The Spanish theme has been coordinated in cooperation with the Spanish Department of Culture, the Spanish Publishers Association, the Cervantes Institute, the Spanish Embassy and many Spanish and Swedish publishers.

More information on the Spanish theme and the Spanish writers at the Göteborg Book Fair:
Brochure in Spanish (PDF-document, 950 kB)
Brochure in English (PDF-document, 967 kB)

"For the Spanish book world, it has been a great pleasure and a very nice experience to participate in the Göteborg Book Fair as Country Guest of Honour. I congratulate the Fair managers for putting this fair among the most important book fairs of the world."
Rogelio Blanco, General Director for Books, Libraries and Archives at the Spanish Ministry of Culture

"Para el mundo del libro de España, ha sido una satisfacción y agradable experiencia la participación en la Feria del Libro de Gotemburgo como País Invitado de Honor. Felicito a los organizadores de la Feria por el logro de situarla entre una de las más importantes del mundo."
Rogelio Blanco Martínez, General Director for Books, Libraries and Archives at the Spanish Ministry of Culture

Themes over the years

Over the years, the Book Fair has especially focused on other countries' literature in addition to the Nordic countries.

In 1996 Austria and Hungary marked their 1100 Years Jubilee with a celebration at the Fair. One of the many participating authors was Imre Kertész, who returned in 2003 as a Nobel Prize Laureate.

"One language, many voices" was the motto of the Flemish-Dutch exhibit at the Fair in 1997 when literature from Flanders and The Netherlands was in focus. 22 Dutch language writers appeared, among them Hugo Claus, Harry Mulisch and Cees Nooteboom.

In 1999 the Fair focused on literature in the German language. 25 authors from Germany, Switzerland and Austria participated, including Martin Walser, Ingrid Noll, Ingo Schulze, Alice Schwarzer, Peter Schneider, Jutta Treiber and Zoë Jenny among others.

In 2001, Indian literature was presented in a series of seminars, and U. R. Anantha Murthy, Krishna Sobti, Githa Hariharan participated.

In 2002 several authors from Africa and Scotland were invited.

In 2003 the Polish literature was in focus. Ryszard Kapuscinski inaugurated the Book Fair, and several Polish authors participated in seminars, readings and discussions. The Book Fair also featured authors from Vietnam, Indonesia, Afghanistan and Brazil.

In 2004 the Fair focused on British literature. More than 40 writers including Margaret Drabble, Robin Robertson, Minette Walters, Joanna Trollope and Kevin Crossley-Holland attended, along with many publishers and agents.

In 2005 our Guest of Honour was Lithuania. 50 writers, poets and other cultural personalities, as well as historians and policitians, took part in the seminar programme and in other activities during the Fair and in the city of Göteborg. Jurga Ivanauskaite, Thomas Venclova, Sigitas Parulskis and Sigitas Geda were a few of the participants.

In 2006 Freedom of Expression was the focal theme. Writers, politicians and other intellectuals attended in conjunction with the International Publishers' Association and the Nordic Centres of the International PEN.
Many writers and publishers who themselves live under threats participated, such as Ayaan Hirisi Ali and Shahla Lahiji. Among the writers within the focal theme two Nobel Prize Laureates participated: Shirin Ebadi and Orhan Pamuk. (Two weeks after the Book Fair it was announced that Orhan Pamuk was the Nobel Prize Laureate in Literature 2006.)

In 2007 Estonia was the Guest of Honour. Established writers and less-well-known writers visited the Fair. Historians, politicians and cultural och social observers participated and presented the literature, the history and an overview of what's happening in Estonia today.

In 2008 Latvia and the Latvian literature was in focus. The spectacular stand, a model of the National Library of Latvia which is currently under construction, captured great attention. A delegation of 100 people from Latvia contributed to more than 40 events. Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis inaugurated the Book Fair.