Record Crowds at Guadalajara, and the Promise of More Next Year  

by Aída Bardales -- Críticas, 12/15/2007

Book professionals from around the world gathered Nov. 24—Dec. 2 at the Spanish-language world's most important and energetic book fair, Guadalajara's Feria Internacional del Libro (FIL). Almost 1700 publishing houses and over 17,000 book professionals from 40 countries, as well as 559,271 locals—beating out last year’s record by over 50,000—filled the convention center throughout the nine days of the show. A special tribute to Álvaro Mutis on Sunday 25 kicked off the over 300 activities focusing on Colombia, this year’s guest of honor. Jorge Volpi, Ignacio Padilla, and Gabriel García Márquez, a close friend of Mutis, participated in the panel.

Many U.S. librarians also headed south for the fair, 238 of them. Since 1998, FIL and the American Library Association have partnered to sponsor U.S. librarians by providing free registration, accommodations, and $100 toward airfare.

About 650 U.S. publishing professionals were at the fair this year, including first timer Barbara Epler, New Directions VP and editor in chief. “It may be a cliché but [FIL] Guadalajara has an energy totally different from any [other] book fair,” Epler told Críticas. “The energy is palpable and inspiring.” Epler said she urges U.S. editors to attend the Latin American book fair because “there is so much to buy in the way of excellent first-rate books.” Ecco publisher Daniel Halpern, another first-timer at this year’s Guadalajara book fair, was the lead lecturer at the event’s VI Foro Internacional de Editores y Profesionales del Libro (International Forum of Editors and Book Professionals). Despite the “upbeat spirit” of the fair, Halpern felt he was at a disadvantage by not speaking Spanish. “I realized how much I was missing, both on the floor” and all around, given all the people he met. Halpern was the only HarperCollins editor present. This year's Rights Center featured 60 tables and a total of 125 registered literary agents and rights personnel.

Argentinian Tununa Mercado received this year's Premio Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz for Yo nunca te prometí la eternidad (“I Never Promised You Eternity”), published in 2005 by Planeta. The prize consists of US$10,000 as well as an English-language translation by Curbstone Press if the author and the press are in agreement. Also awarded during FIL were the distinguished Premio FIL de Literatura (formerly Premio de Literatura Latinoamericana y del Caribe Juan Rulfo), which went to Mexican Fernando Del Paso and comes with a $100,000 prize, and the third Premio de Novela Tusquets, which went to Mexican Élmer Mendoza.
 
Next year promises to be an even bigger and livelier fair. FIL president Raúl Padilla López announced the convention center will be expanded by 14,000 meters. The additional space will mean more publishers in attendance, larger stands, and more places to rest for the public. Also next year, Italy will be the Guest of Honor, marking the first time a non-Spanish-speaking nation is honored. Italian vice chancellor Donato Di Santo told the media that Italy’s presence at FIL Guadalajara is one of the most important steps his country will take towards reestablishing its relationship with Latin America, a region with which it historically shared cultural exchanges. for

FIL will take place again from November 29–December 7, 2007. To register or for more information, visit www.fil.com.mx/ingles/i_index.asp.