Frankfurt, Day 3 — Only One Day Left

Thankfully we only had one other meeting with a UK publisher, so we were able to avoid Hall 8 for the most part. The one time we did go, we found out that the vigilence of the bag searches had declined drastically, and according to one guy, they hadn’t found a single contraband item during the entire fair.

Today was a hectic, long day, and day four is just about to start, so here’s a few highlights:

• Books from Lithuania produces some of the most beautiful propaganda. All of their publications are fantastic, and they were very excited that we’re going to be publishing Ricardas Gavelis’s Vilnius Poker. They were much more thrilled about being able to attend the German Film Awards last night as special guests of the Ministry of Culture though.

• The Ramon Llull Insitut was also very excited about our plans to publish a few of their big authors (more details to come). I’m going to try and find a copy of this, but I heard about a special book produced for the fair about Catalan and German Cultures that includes pictures of shit-sculptures of three of the most famous Catalan figures. Really, these were done by a Catalan artist and made out of Mallorca donkey shit. If I can get a pic, I’ll totally post it.

• Speaking of the Ramon Llull Institut, the special dinner they held last night was amazing. Some of the best food I’ve ever had, and great company, with Hannah Johnson, Esther Allen, and many others in attendence.

• And speaking of Esther Allen and Carles Torner, everyone should check out this report they made on Globalization and Translation. It’s very important and, as with all things Catalan, extremely beautifully produced.

• In 2010, Argentina will be the guest of honor, which Gabriela Adamo at the TyPA Fundacion in Buenos Aires is very excited about. She organizes an Editors Trip to Buenos Aires every year, and one of the funniest things I heard all day was her comment about how it was initially pretty difficult to convince Americans interested in going to Argentina that there would actually be a hotel there for them to stay in. What do you say to a concern like that? Overcoming American isolationism can be brutal . . .

• Aside from the fun times at the Frankfurter Hof, the Tropen Verlag/Independent Publishers Party was fantastic. Lots of wild dancing—like, Flashdance-style—another good crowd—including John Freeman, Ed Nawotka, and Hephzibah Anderson—and cheap beer. Definitely check our John Freeman’s posts, he gets to attend a lot more of the really fun stuff . . . And Ed’s blogging for the FBF, which I mentioned in yesterday’s post. Both are fantastic. . . .

One day left. One long, meeting-filled day. One long, meeting-filled day in a book fair that’s now open to the public . . .