Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Botswana, Tanzania – and some 25 other countries. The breadth of the African theme at this year’s Book Fair is impressive, with 70 guest writers and illustrators from all over the continent.
“There’s huge interest in Africa, particularly after the World Cup in South Africa. We don’t claim to give a total picture of the continent, but can promise glimpses of many areas and different types of literature, which may arouse curiosity in reading more African writers’ works,” says Birgitta Jacobsson Ekblom, Public Relations Manager for the Gothenburg Book Fair.
African guests include the Nobel Prize Winner Nadine Gordimer and the celebrated Zimbabwean Petina Gappah. The many Nordic writers attending include the controversial Norwegian Karl Ove Knausgård, Sofi Oksanen and the Finn Miika Nousiainen.
The 2,500 programme items also include an unusually large number of musical events. Håkan Hellström is bringing out a book and record to celebrate his first 10 years as an artist, and the guest list also includes Mikael Wiehe and Siw Malmkvist. The fair catalogue and programme are available on 14 September.
This year’s Göteborg Book Fair takes place from 23–26 September. For further information visit: www.bokmassan.se
