World-class writers, funny reading laboratory and fantastic Fantázia Fest.
Bratislava 31.10.2019
The international book fair Biblioteka is the biggest event of its kind in Slovakia – and just like one cannot imagine autumn without colourful leaves, we cannot imagine autumn Bratislava without Biblioteka. For 27 years it has been entertaining all readers and book lovers, bringing novelties as well as popular classics from tens of publishers within a lively book atmosphere. This year we are pleased to have a guest of honour – Hungary.
The most anticipated book novelties, bestsellers and classics that never gets old; limited editions, exclusive book titles as well as remarkable discounts; books of all genres for adults and children; interesting discussions, catchy book presentations, christenings, autograph signings and meetings with popular authors including world-class writers – from 7th to 10th November the Biblioteka book fair will offer readers and literature lovers not only a rich offer of books from 60 publishers but also absorbing accompanying programme on numerous literary stages. The total area of 10,000 square metres will present more than 200 exhibitors from Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Russia. The fair brings a breakthrough novelty – for the first time in its history the event gets a guest of honour, Hungary – and this country brings a plenty of high-quality literature and extra accompanying events.
Autumn book novelties and popular authors
Many publishers will announce their book novelties only at the Biblioteka fair. Screenwriter and author of the Amnestie book Maroš Hečko will present his work surrounded by actors, historian Fedor Blaščák, Czech dissident Lenka Marčeková and by Juraj Bača, who will play and sing songs from the famous Czech singer Karel Kryl. The prosecutor Eva Mišíková and investigative journalist Ľudmila Lacková will present the book Proti zločinu. A re-edition of the timeless feuilletons of Július Satinský called Moji milí Slováci will be brought to life by his daughter Lucia Satinská. Boris Filan will talk about his selection of the best travel books and “filanstories” ŠirokoĎaleko and Cesta okolo sveta that were published on the occasion of his 70th birthday. Readers will surely be caught by uncensored publication of the cult book The Master and Margarita newly translated by Ján Štrasser with wonderful illustrations by Lucia Žatkuliaková – the first edition of this book was sold out in two days! All book lovers will surely be delighted by several novelties being published shortly before the start of Biblioteka – publication Umenie by a team of foreign authors, book by Jozef Leikert – Ukradnutá mladosť that brings real stories of students in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp or new novel by Táňa Keleová Vasilková – Zrkadlo. The engaging book atmosphere will be filled with lots of other personalities (not only) from the world of literature – Ľubomír Feldek, Lucia Sasková, Zuzka Šulajová, psychologist Anton Heretik, Tatiana Brezinská, Zuzana Haasová, Mila Haugová, Mária Ferenčuhová, Michal Hvorecký, Uršuľa Kovalyk, Arpád Šoltész, Ivan Štrpka, Lujza Garajová, Robert Bryndza, Katarína Gillerová, musician Janko Lehotský, former hockey player Boris Valábik, nature lover Miroslav Saniga and many others will come and present their books.
World-class writers
One of the biggest start of this year’s book festival will be the popular Swedish author Stefan Ahnhem who will present his crime novel Motive X. His discussion will take place on Friday at 16.00h on the Panta Rhei stage. For the first time ever, Biblioteka will host a well-known and popular French author of crime novels Bernard Minier to present his novelty called The Edge of the Abyss. Another world-class writer and one of the most interesting recent Hungarian authors György Dragomán (his novel The White King was an international best seller, translated into almost 30 languages), together with his wife, poetry and prose author Anna Szabó T, will come to the Biblioteka and talk with visitors about their upcoming books. They accepted the invitation to the book fair thanks to our guest of honour.
Guest of Honour of the Biblioteka fair – Hungary
Absorbing presentations of current Hungarian prose and poetry, film screenings, discussions about the upcoming literature works and meetings with interesting personalities – this and much more will be brought to the Biblioteka fair by Hungary – the officially first Guest of Honour of the fair. Slovak readers can look forward to more than 20 books from Hungarian authors that are being published in Slovak language on the occasion of this precious Guest of honour thing. The works represent various genres – poetry, prose, drama and children literature, which will surely please every lover of good literature. Amongst popular personalities visiting the fair will be Gábor Zoltán – author of a novel uncovering yet unknown face of fascism, István Kerékgyártó, who is also a screen-writer of the Slovak film Casino.sk and many others. The intellectual face of the event will be brought by a discussion with Michal Havran on reflection book of Béla Hamvas Unicornis and Other Essays combined with film screening, taking place on Sunday, 10th November.
World of fantasy, comics and renowned literary competitions
The whole Saturday 9th November at the Biblioteka fair will belong to the climax of Slovak fantasy literary year FANTÁZIA FEST 2019. From morning till evening visitors can look forward to discussions, awards and literary competitions: Martinus Cena Fantázie, Genre Awards for MCF 2019 (Cena Béla, Cena Fantasy, Cena ESET, Cena Bibliotéky) and Fantasy Award 2019. For the 13th time during the Biblioteka fair the Biblioteka Award for the best Slovak female literary work (prose, poetry and literature for children and youth) published in the previous year will take place. Fantasy and comics fans can look forward to The Stan Lee Story book that is a unique piece of art on the life and work of one of the biggest names of the comics’ world. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution a collection of sci-fi stories, urban fantasy and alternative history called Iná nežná: Trochu iné poviedky o Novembri ´89 is being published.
Fairy-tale fun for children
Reading develops imagination, improves vocabulary and affects the personality development; thus it is important to kindle the love for books especially in small children – for example in the reading laboratory where they can read, play, dance, draw, create and have a fun with animators and authors of children books during the whole course of the fair. Novelties will be presented by Daniel Hevier, Zuzana Csontosová, Diana Mašlejová, Adrián Macho, Paulína Feriancová, Ján Uličiansky and many others. Children can look forward to Miro Jaroš who will christen two children books and actors from the TV series Oteckovia who will present a new motivational notebook. The book fair will be enhanced by books being released during the Biblioteka – e.g. sequels to popular children books Drobci 2, Dobrodružstvá pokračujú and Websterovci. Children and teachers can use individual consultancy in the area of reading of pre-schooled children and first-class school children with the possibility to test the perception and processing of texts and visual information via eye-tracker Tobii.
RTVS at the Biblioteka fair
For the first time ever, the RTVS will get its own stage at the Biblioteka fair. The area of 200 square metres will host live radio and television broadcasting, popular authors, interesting guests and musical performances.
Learning by playing – with the Pedagogika exhibition
The co-running exhibition of education Pedagogika will teach about teaching aids and techniques that make learning much more fun. The interactive exhibition Czech Innovation Expo will use virtual reality, touch screens and other modern technologies to show world-known brands and important inventions of famous Czech people.
The events will be accompanied by the very popular exhibitions SCIENCE UNTRADITIONALLY and festival of science and technology AMAVET 2019 prepared by the National Centre for the Popularisation of Science and Technology in Society within the Slovak Centre for Science and Technical Information and the civic association AMAVET.
Media partners of the book fair are: zoznam.sk, RTVS, školské.sk and sdeťmi.com.