From the print edition
Costa Rica’s XIII International Book Fair kicked off Aug. 24 with a little bit of Caribbean flavor. In step with this year’s Afro-Caribbean theme, the 10-day festival features music and cultural events from the Limón area, and presentations from two distinguished Caribbean authors: Derek Walcott, winner of the Nobel Prize in literature, and Horace Campbell.
In total, the fair includes more than 150 events related to culture, music and, of course, reading. “The main goal of the festival every year is to promote the inclusion of reading and the creation of reading as a habit,” said Ana González, the fair’s producer. “Many activities are geared towards children, as they are the most impressionable, but we also hope to encourage adults to read.”
Featuring 46 international book exhibitions, the fair aims to promote Costa Rican culture and give an opportunity for an exchange of ideas from across the globe.
One of the many authors and booksellers at the fair, Carlos Arauz began writing books about Costa Rican culture because it fascinated him as a child. “The purpose of my books is to rescue the traditions and customs of Costa Rica,” he said. “My books are for people who just want a little bit of context and information about the country they are in.”
The festival is being held at the Antigua Aduana in San José. It ends Sunday.
