Madrid (EFE) of the rain that has been present in many of its 16 days.
This has been indicated to EFE by the director of the Book Fair, Eva Orúe: “the feeling we have is that, although there has been a lot of rain, this has not discouraged readers. Perhaps what it has done is that some of those who come for a walk and not to buy books have not come but the readers have been here, for which we sincerely thank them”.
The sales data will be collected from tomorrow, Monday, after the fair closes and on Wednesday the final figures will be known.
“What we have at the moment are feelings, which are good, and partial figures from some booksellers and publishers who have shared their data with the fair’s management,” said Orúe, who believes that last year’s figures can be reached. , “which would be very good because fewer people have come.”
This edition has not had a guest country but a central theme, such as science, since a country could be the protagonist of the fair, as can a city or a theme.
The protagonist of next year will be decided soon, indicated the director, who is confident that the next edition will be defined in September: “we hope it goes as well as science”, which has not only allowed activities to be carried out in all the pavilions but also to develop them with other Madrid institutions that have carried out acts related to science during the time that the Retiro event has lasted.
The fair has honored many authors in this 82nd edition: Francisco Ibáñez, Raúl Guerra Garrido, Carmen Martín Gaite, Juan Benet and Antonio Gala, “the author of the long queues at the Madrid Book Fair”, who He passed away on May 28 at the age of 92.
Precisely, the 82nd edition of the Book Fair closes this Sunday with a tribute to Javier Marías (Madrid, 1951-2022) and a reading of fragments of his work to which all readers who wish can join.
This tribute from the Madrid Book Fair to Marías is added to those that have been offered in recent months: that of the Círculo de Bellas Artes, organized by the writer’s friends; the popular readings of his work held in Segovia, during the Hay Festival, or the one developed at the IX International Congress of the Spanish Language in Cádiz, as well as the issuance of the postage stamp that the Post Office reproduces a portrait of the author from Madrid.
And this Sunday there was also a tribute to Lola Flores, “who is not a writer but has written an important page in the history of this country”, recalled the director of the fair.
Eva Orúe has also highlighted the many rows of readers that have been repeated at this fair, the most massive led by young people who come to have their favorite writers sign them.
“The queues are a hallmark of this fair and the only thing that corresponds to us is to organize them. You have to be in the queues to feel the Madrid Book Fair ”, he indicated.