A cultural event bringing together more Peruvians!
The 22nd International Book Fair welcomed over 500,000 visitors by the end of its two successful weeks of festivities and culture. This figure bested the previous year’s numbers by almost 10,000 people, according to the Peruvian Chamber of Books.
The festival ran from July 21 to August 6, giving hundreds of Peruvians the chance to share and immerse themselves in culture. This year’s fair racked up 17.6 million soles in book sales, up 23% from last year’s event.
These numbers reflect the extraordinary results of the Lima International Book Fair, which will be even more impressive once publishing houses finish tallying their recent sales.
About the 2017 International Book Fair
The improved infrastructure at this year’s event resulted in stands were more prepared, better equipped and ready to receive fairgoers.
Mexico was the Guest Country of Honor, exhibiting an endless array of works from its publishing industry. More than 25 guests participated in the central platform designed to share Latin American culture.
The robust contingent from Mexico included Margo Glantz, Benito Taibo, Guillermo Arriaga, Ana Clavel, Juan Palomino, María Baranda, Xóchitl Aguirre, Carmen Limón, Juan Gedovius, Marco Antonio Campos, Felipe Rosete, Bernardo Fernández, Paco Ignacio Taibo II, Paloma Sáiz, José Manuel Mateo, Jaime Alfonso Sandoval, Mónica Lavín, Myriam Moscona, Rubén García Guerra, Armando Alanís, Diego Enrique Osorno, Eduardo Matos, Mónica Brozón, Christian Peña, Natalia Toledo and Fabio Morábito.
The festival featured an emblematic group of authors present owing to their significant contribution to Mexican and Latin American literature. Of special note is the work of Juan Villoro, author of novels such as “El arrecife”, “Llamadas de Ámsterdam”, and “El testigo”, and recipient of the 2012 José Donoso Ibero-American Literature Award. Another highlight is the work of Cristina Rivera Garza, the author of “Nadie me verá llorar” and “La muerte me da”, both of which won international awards.
The Peruvian Chamber of Books aimed to set a high bar this year, making the Lima International Book Fair an event to rival the best fairs in Latin America. Its new theme was: Discover the International Book Fair Experience.
FAN, the International Book Fair’s club, tripled its sign-up rate this year, which led the Peruvian Chamber of Books to offer the option of unlimited admission to all 17 days of the fair for 50 soles, with special access to all activities and a kit with gifts from the 2017 Lima International Book Fair.
Looking ahead to 2018, the 23rd Lima International Book Fair will host Spain as its Guest Country of Honor.