books
Chinese publishers on the hunt for English titles at Beijing Book Fair
A visitor checks out children's books on display at a fair in Beijing in January 2004. Children's books are a fast-growing publishing sector in China. – AFP/Relaxnews pic, August 10, 2015.The Chinese book market, the world's second largest after the US, will be in the spotlight at this month's Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF), where the country's publishers will be on the hunt for foreign titles to add to their rosters.
English titles make up an important part of book sales in China, and the Beijing International Book Fair, running August 26-30, will offer international publishers a chance to showcase those offerings.
Zhu Yeyang, a BIBF media specialist, says that China's interest in American books remains particularly strong, with publishers often following the US media to hunt for titles that might be of interest domestically.
One important difference: while recent US bestsellers such as "Insurgent" and "Gone Girl" have enjoyed sales boosts thanks to their film adaptations, not all of those movies are screened in mainland China, making success less predictable there.
As with many markets, e-books are also a major focus in China, and the International Digital Publishing Forum is working with the book fair to offer a one-day event addressing that market.
According to Zhu Yeyang, the Chinese Academy of Press and Publication found in its 2014 nationwide reading survey that 57.8% of China's adult population read books, while 50.1% read books digitally. And as sales of e-books have been rising faster than those of any other publishing sector, publishers are looking for ways to expand their digital offerings.
The fair will also present a roster of Chinese writers including children's author Cao Wenxuan; novelist Feng Tang, known for his semi-autobiographical works about growing up in the Chinese capital in the 1990s; and Ge Fei, and important figure in Chinese contemporary fiction.
International guests include Spanish author Enrique Vila-Matas; Alan Lee, known for his work on the "Lord of the Rings" books and films; and the London-born, US-based novelist and short story author Simon Van Booy.
Children's books are a growing sector in China and around the world, and a forum devoted to them will feature 100 Chinese and international children's publishers, with focuses on illustrated books and foreign-language titles.
While the Hong Kong Book Fair is Asia's largest, Beijing's – although smaller in scale than those of Frankfurt or London – is the biggest trade-focused event, and an important meeting place for discussing publishing rights and trends across the continent. – AFP/Relaxnews, August 10, 2015.
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