From November 16 to 20, Albanian publishers will be displaying their publications in the Tetovo book fair, Macedonia
TIRANA, Nov.15 – Helena Kadare, the wife of internationally renowned Albanian writer Ismail Kadare, has been announced the Best Author of this year’s 14th edition of the Tirana book fair. The writer was awarded the fair’s biggest prize for her autobiographical work “Koha e Pamjaftueshme” (Insufficient time) unveiling her life with Ismail Kadere or Is. as she called him in the book.
The best translator prize went to Shpetim Cucka for his translation of the History of Beauty by Umberto Eco. The jury’s special prize was awarded to poet Muhamet Ademi.
A four-member jury composed of well known personalities of literature and academia decided on the awards.
No statistics were released on this year’s book sales and attendance. Petrit Ymeri, the head of the Association of Albanian Publishers, the fair’s organizer, denied media reports that book sales have been lower than in last year’s edition, but did not give a picture of this year’s sales.
More than eighty publishers from Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia participated in the 14th edition of the Tirana book fair, the biggest annual book even bring together Albanian publishing houses.
The book fair was held from November 9 to 13 at the Palace of Congresses in Tirana, the perennial venue. Only 965 new book titles were displayed in this year’s book fair compared to 2,962 new titles in January-October 2010.
Last year’s Tirana book fair event, attracted a record 60,000 visitors with an estimated 200,000 books reported to have been sold.
Earlier this year, Albanian book fairs were also held in Montenegro’s Ulcinj, Kosovo’s Prizren and Skopje, Macedonia.
From November 16 to 20, Albanian publishers will be displaying their publications in the Tetovo book fair, Macedonia. The book fair is organized by the Albania Association of Publishers in Macedonia, where around 30 percent of the population is ethnic Albanian.
