PRESS RELEASE: Helsinki Book Fair 2009 - What’s really happening

The aim of the Book Fair is to give a comprehensive view of today’s reality and future visions. The starting point is the writers, the people involved and the books: the whole spectrum, from humor to science. There will be more than 900 performers and 600 programmes: interviews, seminars, panel discussions, debates and events.

This year, as always, fiction will be widely represented. More attention will be paid to science than before. Themes of the Things are Happenig in Science programme include evolution and astronomy. Finnish experts will be discussing the E-book and its impact on the world of books. The Children’s Square will host more activities for children than ever and more programmes on the Topelius Stage.

As before, Taanila’s Talks will continue with the topics of politics and recent history. Newcomers are At the Harakka’s Table, in which, among other things, work, the visual arts and money will be discussed, and in the Your Hostess, Päivi Istala programme discussions will include everyday life, the family and war.

Fiction looks backwards and forewards

More than 200 writers of fiction, prose, poetry and books for children and the young will be there to give their views. Almost without exception, all of this year’s prose writers will be present to tell about their books and work.

Fiction uses the medium of art to relate what is really happening in our time. The book does not tackle issues in the same way that the press does, but for those who want to understand, fiction opens up portals to the past, the present and the future.

The Fair programme also pays attention to the past: deceased writers and those who always manage to touch and interest new generations. The Union of Finnish Writers programme addresses the question of the Legacy of the Writing Profession and whether the legacy of a given generation is a source of inspiration or a burden.

Sweden – a country focus

In recognition of the anniversary 1809, Sweden is the Helsinki Book Fair country focus. More than thirty Swedish writers are attending the Fair. The Swedish Arts Council has been responsible for organising most of Sweden’s programme.  It has invited more than twenty writers to Finland and there will be twenty or so Swedes as guests of Finnish publishers.

Relations between Sweden and Finland will be dealt with in panel discussions and programmes, and we will be introduced to present-day Swedish literature.
 
Swedish Minister of Culture Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth and Finnish Minister of Culture Stefan Wallin discuss the future of cultural policy.

Sweden’s press ombudsman Yrsa Stenius and the Council for Mass Media in Finland´s chairman Pekka Hyvärinen discuss topical ethical issues for the Finnish and Swedish media.

The Fair’s programme provides a comprehensive picture of Swedish literature today. Taking part will be fiction writers such as Ernst Brunner, Per Olov Enquist, Ulrika Kärnborg and Agneta Pleijel , several deticive story writers, including Johan Theorin and Leif GW Persson , recently published writers, illustrators and researchers such as Kjell Östberg and Fredrik Sjöberg.

Anniversary year

Anniversary year 1809 will be on display, based on new research and books. Uppsala University Professor of History Torkel Jansson will be discussing the cultural links between Sweden and Finland since 1809 with his Finnish colleague Henrik Meinander . Many Finns have dealt with the anniversary year in their new works. Thos making apperances at the Fair will include Henrika Tandfelt, Max Engman and Jussi T Lappalainen .
 
Foreign nationals from seven countries

In addition to the Swedes, writers from six countries will be attending the Fair: from Italy prose writer Melania G Mazzucco , from Germany Julia Franck , among others, from Scotland scifi writer Hal Duncan , from Turkey best-selling writer Serdar Özkan , from Estonia literary researcher and poet Krull Hasso , among others, and from the United States detictive writer Karin Slaughter .

Further information
 
Tuula Isoniemi , Book Fair Programme Leader, tel. 0500 841 937, tuula.isoniemi@welho.com
Agneta Rahikainen , Svenska Litteratursällskapet i Finland, tel. 09-618 77 514, agneta.rahikainen@sls.fi
The Finnish Fair Corporation, Communications officer Vilja Perttola , tel. 040 755 3319, vilja.perttola@finnexpo.fi

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Helsinki Book Fair 2009
The Helsinki Book Fair is one of the country’s most important cultural events, in recent years attracting nearly as many as 70 000 visitors. The Book Fair is organized by The Finnish Fair Corporation in a conjunction with the Finnish Book Publishers Association and the Organization of the Booksellers Association of Finland. The fairgoers can attend also Helsinki Music Fair and Wine, Food & Good living at the same time.
Helsinki Book Fair 2009. www.helsinkibookfair.fi