"Hundreds of events took place during the three day Fair, which was enjoyed by readers of every age," says Brian Wafawarowa, executive director of the Publishers' Association of South Africa (PASA) and executive chairperson of Cape Town Book Fair. "These included book launches, signings, interviews, workshops and forums. Visitors interacted with different publishers, authors and books, some of whom may not be considered mainstream, but are just as exciting and talented as their better-known peers."
Visitors also had a lifetime opportunity to interact with world-renowned Professor Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, a novelist, essayist, playwright, journalist, editor, academic and social activist from Kenya. A recipient of many honours, including the 2001 Nonino International Prize for Literature and eight honorary doctorates, he is currently the Distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Irvine.
"This is a great platform to network with publishers and, most importantly, to interact with the book-loving public on the topic of digital books," explains Liz Hillock, head of marketing of kalahari.com. "We believe digital content is one of the key levers to improving literacy in Africa - imagine a world where schools can access textbooks at the touch of a button, or where learning materials are easily available on your mobile phone. It's an exciting space to be in and we enjoyed sharing our ideas with industry peers and the public."
This year's fair placed a special emphasis on encouraging reading amongst children by creating a dedicated area for youngsters - the Children's Zone.
