Bookfest 2011 (A Subjective View)

25 to 29 May 2011: 6^th Edition of the Bookfest, the beginning of the summer Fair of Bucharest, a counterpart of the end of autumn one, Gaudeamus (or the other way round: the latter -  counterpart of the  first!); if we were to take into account the 13 editions history of the Bookarest, founded in 1992 and replaced in the summer of 2006 by the Bookfest, we should say that the 19^th edition of the estival fair just took place (the replacement of fairs five years ago will be once discussed in proper terms...). (Only this, here and now, within additional brackets: ironically, a Bookland was also founded this year, scheduled shortly before, virtually on the eve, in the organization of the company contracted in 2010 to promote... the Bookfest!...)

The atmosphere - common to all such major international gatherings: stands heavy with recent publishings, a cosmopolitan air, of certain “glamour” and many events to go, especially book launches. Plus, now, the economic crisis impact, obvious since last summer's edition: fewer new publishings than during the growth years before, massive price cuts everywhere, in many cases up to ridiculous rates (areas with books for 1 Leu, 3 Lei ...), cruel indication of very low sales and editors' desperation in their willingness to just anything as long as they another penny to pay their employees. A year ago, the professional visitor could even perceive symptoms of panic: managers were white, gray or green in the face, according to each and everyone's temper! In 2009 the decrease had been slow and only then, in the first half of 2010, the contraction had amounted to about 50% of the market. Meanwhile, people cooled down, got used to the situation, reorganized their business and are trying to withstand the hard times. The employees, more at ease both last year and now (lighter resignation: in case of bankruptcy, just look for another job!), gave and continues to give details: all poor sales, big debts to printing houses, financial jam, discharges and the rest...

After all, with or without the global crisis, life goes on, the editorial market will be reduced and saved, and literature will never stop, at least as long as the planet remains habitable! As for the literators – they mind their own business: they go on writing; or... talk about books, if they act as critics, and must officiate the launches of the newest books. For example, at the specialised fairs!

This time, I am only participating in the first two days, Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 of May, and in the second half of the final day, on Sunday 29 (I must go to Predeal, for the reunion of my high school class, 35 years since graduation...), so I have no other choice but to refuse a whole series of friendly requests from authors or publishers who have scheduled book launches on Friday and Saturday. I perform - however - a sort of "opening" of the fair Wednesday afternoon, presenting Matei Visniec's new collection of plays, Omul din cerc [The Man in the Circle] (short plays anthology 1977-2010), published by Paralela 45 (Calin Vlasie has been publishing  one or two volumes of drama signed by Matei Visniec every year) - after which I flee down town, where Victory Avenue opens on the Dimbovita bank at the IRECSON Gallery, where I open the common show of Carmen Cretu-Iacob and Christian Paraschiv. I return to the Bookfest Thursday afternoon, for the launching, at the Paralela again, of final volume, in Radu Petrescu's diary, Prezent şi în acelaşi timp străin [Present and Distant at the Same Time] , and later for the presentation of a set of three titles, one out of which... Fără titlu [Untitled] (that's the title!), a collection of poems by Cosmin Perta, along with Cărţile cu Alfonz [Books with Alfonz], Ratiu Virgil's novel, and Voci în vacarm. Un dialog cu Monica Lovinescu şi Virgil Ierunca [Voices in Uproar. A Conversation with Monica Lovinescu and Virgil Ierunca]by Vasile Gogea - common launching Eikon – Paralela 45 (the publishers of the small interview-volue). Finally, on Sunday, after returning to Bucharest, we mark the re-editing of our youth Cinci [Five],  now republished by Tracus Arte, then, after a long hour signing autographs, I present Bogdan Ghiu's essays volume Dadasein, also published by Tracus Arte, and conclude with two splendid albums by Vasile Tolan and Miron Duca edited by Eikon...

Wednesday and Thursday - seldom visitors, less as in previous years. Sunday – more busy, as I learn it was on the Friday-Saturday. In general, the displacement at ROMEXPO, once with the reopening as Bookfest, reduced the public flow. In the building of the National Theatre, down town, it was always full of people; here, away from the centre, it was mostly the students who abandoned the fair, given the unsuited period, in mid exam session (in autumn, the Gaudeamus, also at the ROMEXPO, our young University come in a flow!). It still preserves the image of a vivid event. Everywhere - book launches, microphones and speakers in action, journalists taking statements and interviewing, etc. And the terraces by the lateral pavilions where the fair is held are always filled with guests commenting the event, among which many writers and editors...

From the hotel room in Predeal I forward on Saturday the announcement of the launching of our “mondayist” collection on the following day (I copy-paste its factual details):

The famous Cinci relaunched!

Tracus Arte Publishing announces the last day event of the "Bookfest" Book Fair, the 2011 edition: the relaunching of the collection of poems Cinci, signed by Romulus Bucur, Bogdan Ghiu, Ion Bogdan Lefter, Mariana Marin and Alexandru Musina, with an introduction by Nicolae Manolescu and in the graphical presentation of Tudor Jebeleanu (concept, cover and drawings). The volumes Cinci and Aer cu diamante [Diamond Air], the latter signed by Mircea Cărtărescu, Traian T. Coşovei, Florin Iaru and Ion Stratan, were published in 1982, by Litera Publishing, at the expense of the authors, members of the Luni [Monday] Literary Club (1977-1983) led by Nicolae Manolescu, the author of the introductions to both collections.

After the republication of the Aer cu diamante in late 2010, Cinci is now republished, under the care of Tudor Jebeleanu, the new editions faithfully reproducing those in 1982. The launch of the second edition of the volume Cinci will take place at "Bookfest", at the stand of Tracus Arte Publishing House (Pavilion C, stand B 05), on Sunday, May 29, 2011, at 15:00, with the participation of: Nicolae Manolescu, Tudor Jebeleanu, Romulus Bucur, Bogdan Ghiu, Ion Bogdan Lefter, Alexandru Musina, and Ioan Cristescu and Cosmin Perta, from Tracus Arte Publishing House. The launch will be dedicated to the memory of Mariana Marin (died 2003).

Flashes:

■ Loads of people at the launch of Radu Petrescu's Diary. Tiberiu Stamate made the introduction from the publisher, after which I speak, then Calin Vlasie takes the floor, followed by Tia Serbănescu with an emotional wrap up by Mrs. Adela Petrescu. Let me stress that the completion of the initiative to publish the great journal, the most important in Romanian literature, is the major event not only for the book fair, but for the whole literary and cultural periods that we're crossing. I conclude by praising Mrs. Adela and adding, as we had with us Mrs. Dorina Simionescu, a word about the disappearance, just a week before, of Mircea Horia Simionescu, Radu Petrescu's Targoviste "School" colleague. It is the first edition of Bucharest fair – I say – when we will no longer see between the stands the distinguished and at the same time extraordinarily warm and friendly figure of wonderful MHS, present for so many years at the two main editorial reunions – he, the "general bibliographer" of all books...

■ It was also the first fair without the presence, from his village Buzau - Căldărăşti, Pogoanele  commune (recently a town) - of George Ene, disappeared suddenly, gone in a midnight, from in front of the computer where he sat again, after having had laid in bed to sleep at some point. Poor Gicu Ene, the writer of touching modesty, with his weary, tired, shabby air, actually of a high, very high literary conscience, a man of concepts and reflection on language...

■ Nicolae Manolescu start jokingly the Cinci relaunch: "When I wrote the preface to the book" - he says the smiling to the audience (loads of people there!) - "I was younger than the authors are now!" Indeed: almost 30 years have passed since, quite a few exceeding the age difference between him and us...