Are there too many of book fair in our country? We got Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair in April/May; Book Fest by bookstore chains, Popular in July and another one from MPH called Bookervile or Putrajaya International Book Fair early in March and another event at the heart of Malaysian goverment the centre of Malaysia's administration, Putrajaya Islamic International Book Fair in this month and last but not least the howling of Big Bad Wolf in next month (and possibly it howls again sometimes in March). Oh not to forget Kota Buku Bazar every month.
And at the end of this month, there is Ekspo Buku Malaysia or Malaysia Book Expo in Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur. Plus it also will hold National Book Award - that supposably recognizes the best title in various genre which in previous year sparkled controversy and polemic as many awards in Malaysia. Or maybe it is 'world phenomenon' because such prize like Nobel Prize not free from controversial.
But back to the topic - are there too much of book fair in our country? Or is it good for book and reading environment? How about the profit that publishers and bookstores had been collected in previous events?
Many told me about the bad year for book industry and this not in this year - maybe a couple of years ago. And I think the number of titles kept increasing from time to time same as the number of events. It look like the publishers and bookstores always find a way from this supposably bad time for book industry to capture the market and to sell their books or clear their stock.
But how about to book lovers or book readers. Is it good for their reading environment and culture or it will turn them to, not a book zombies, but to tsundoku! Tsundoku as every book readers circle knew - a Japanese word that equivalent guys and girls who kept buying the book but a big chunk of it it had not been reading (I think I guilty of this charge also!).
Maybe we will discuss it at this coming book fair! *wink*
Read: Ekspo Buku Malaysia 25-29 November ini (in Malay)
And at the end of this month, there is Ekspo Buku Malaysia or Malaysia Book Expo in Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur. Plus it also will hold National Book Award - that supposably recognizes the best title in various genre which in previous year sparkled controversy and polemic as many awards in Malaysia. Or maybe it is 'world phenomenon' because such prize like Nobel Prize not free from controversial.
But back to the topic - are there too much of book fair in our country? Or is it good for book and reading environment? How about the profit that publishers and bookstores had been collected in previous events?
Many told me about the bad year for book industry and this not in this year - maybe a couple of years ago. And I think the number of titles kept increasing from time to time same as the number of events. It look like the publishers and bookstores always find a way from this supposably bad time for book industry to capture the market and to sell their books or clear their stock.
But how about to book lovers or book readers. Is it good for their reading environment and culture or it will turn them to, not a book zombies, but to tsundoku! Tsundoku as every book readers circle knew - a Japanese word that equivalent guys and girls who kept buying the book but a big chunk of it it had not been reading (I think I guilty of this charge also!).
Maybe we will discuss it at this coming book fair! *wink*
Read: Ekspo Buku Malaysia 25-29 November ini (in Malay)
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