Bogota's Feria de Libro -- A Celebration of the Written Word

There were almost as many people as books at Bogota's 25th annual book fair -- considered one of the biggest and most important celebrations of the written word in Latin America.

Books were launched, books were sold, authors spoke, entertainers performed -- as thousands of people made their way to Coferias, Bogota's place for trade shows and exhibits. Coferias is huge -- about a dozen pavillions,  food courts, stages and more.  Think World's Fair.

Digital age or not -- if the crowds on hand the day I visited the Book Fair are any indication, books still rule.  On Book Night (when fair organizers made statistics available) almost 35,000 people visited in a single evening.

And if you think people aren't buying books, think again. Once again, Fair organizers pointed to sales of more than $20 million.  And at this writing, the book fair still had three days to go -- with a holiday to come on closing day!


We pay so much attention to the Internet, pay walls, Kindles, I-Pads and the utilization of mobile devices for our reading pleasure (and our obligation) -- it was a bit mind-boggling to see so many people gathered in support of the written word.  Not even Bogota's consistent, ever-present rain nor time-consuming traffic jams kept people away.  (It took me an hour to get a taxi out when I was ready to leave -- forget the buses!)

One thing that makes the fair stand out is the way author readings and conversations are interspersed with the main business of the fair -- which of course is sales.  The lines to hear from Colombian author Fernando Vallejo were so long, I just gave up.

I made it to two readings. Clara Rojas, who had been held captive by guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group from 2002 to 2008, launched her book, "Letters to Emmanuel."

Photojournalist Stephen Ferry, talked about his book, "Violentology" at the book fair and a separate event that evening at an art gallery in Bogota's Macarena district. If I can brave the crowds, I will attend one more reading and launch to be given by friend, poet and novelist Bella Ventura.

For me, going to the fair was not just about buying some books, but having the opportunity to interact with authors. And it was uplifting to actually see (by the number of books on display) that digital devices do not signal the demise of the PRINTED word.  Hooray!! 

Colombia is well-known and respected as an interntional cultural and literary leader.The 25th annual Feria de Libro  once again proves this is so.