Although still 60 days away, the head honchos of Guadalajara’s International Book Fair (FIL) summoned the media this week to announce a packed schedule for the 29th edition of the humongous literary jamboree that takes place at Expo Guadalajara from November 28-December 8, with the United Kingdom as the invited country.
Here are a few numbers to blow your mind about this year’s event – the world’s second largest book fair by a long margin:
• 1,900 publishing houses from 44 countries will participate.
• 440,000 book titles will be available for purchase.
• 34,000 square meters of floor space will be used.
• 650 authors from 38 countries will attend the event.
• 550 book presentations have been scheduled.
• 750,000 visitors are expected during the fair’s nine days.
• 85 million pesos (US$5 million) is the cost of staging the FIL.
The United Kingdom is bringing in a stellar lineup of literary names, ranging in age from the early 20s to mid 70s. They include household names such as Salman Rushdie, Irvine Welsh, Philippa Gregory and former poet laureate Andrew Motion, as well as emerging talents from all corners of the British Isles.
While the Spanish language understandably dominates at the FIL, there is always plenty for native speakers of English to appreciate, especially this year with the UK having such a prominent role.
According to officers from the British Council in Mexico City, a team of young British designers is preparing a “groundbreaking” two-tier UK pavilion that will be unlike anything ever seen before at the FIL It will also have the added bonus of featuring a facsimile copy of the 1215 Magna Carta.
The Museo de las Artes will host an exhibition of works by David Hockney, one of the most influential modern artists in the UK, and the nightly music shows in the Foro Expo will feature a wide gamut of creative British talent, including classical, folk, rock, jazz and reggae genres.