• Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2022 runs from May 23 to 29 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National, unless otherwise specified
    Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2022 runs from May 23 to 29 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National, unless otherwise specified
  • The annual event features a strong programme of daily panel sessions and seminars featuring award-winning authors, government officials, filmmakers and musicians.
    The annual event features a strong programme of daily panel sessions and seminars featuring award-winning authors, government officials, filmmakers and musicians.
  • Some of the big names appearing at the fair include Syrian poet Adonis, Nobel Prize for Economics winner Guido Imbens and this year's winners of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and the International Prize for Arabic Fiction.
    Some of the big names appearing at the fair include Syrian poet Adonis, Nobel Prize for Economics winner Guido Imbens and this year's winners of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and the International Prize for Arabic Fiction.
  • There are always new authors to meet and the opportunity to reconnect with seasoned booksellers returning with fresh stock at the book fair.
    There are always new authors to meet and the opportunity to reconnect with seasoned booksellers returning with fresh stock at the book fair.
  • Dar Al Fadeela Bookshop showcasing newspapers and magazines from the 1970s, some featuring stories about the UAE. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
    Dar Al Fadeela Bookshop showcasing newspapers and magazines from the 1970s, some featuring stories about the UAE. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
  • Dar Al Fadeela Bookshop specialises in literary material from the past 100 years. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
    Dar Al Fadeela Bookshop specialises in literary material from the past 100 years. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
  • Christoph Auvermann from Libraire Clavreuil in Paris displays a book written in 1450 and worth €350,000 ($376,000). Khushnum Bhandari / The National
    Christoph Auvermann from Libraire Clavreuil in Paris displays a book written in 1450 and worth €350,000 ($376,000). Khushnum Bhandari / The National
  • Entry to the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is for those 16 years and older and is free with prior registration from the website.
    Entry to the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is for those 16 years and older and is free with prior registration from the website.
  • Visitors explore on the first day of the event.
    Visitors explore on the first day of the event.
  • The event is being held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre until Sunday.
    The event is being held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre until Sunday.
  • Arabic letters in a futuristic font are suspended above and area where students can undertake quizzes, presented in the form of computer games, to identify their favourite genre.
    Arabic letters in a futuristic font are suspended above and area where students can undertake quizzes, presented in the form of computer games, to identify their favourite genre.
  • An exhibition is dedicated to the UAE Space Agency’s Mission to Mars and includes a medium-sized replica of the red planet that changes colour.
    An exhibition is dedicated to the UAE Space Agency’s Mission to Mars and includes a medium-sized replica of the red planet that changes colour.
  • Visitors play foosball at the Germany pavilion on the first day of the event.
    Visitors play foosball at the Germany pavilion on the first day of the event.
  • There are several interactive elements at the event this year.
    There are several interactive elements at the event this year.
  • A virtual-reality experience at the UAE Ministry of Education stand.
    A virtual-reality experience at the UAE Ministry of Education stand.
  • The fair's main aim is to encourage children to read and help them figure out where to begin their book journey.
    The fair's main aim is to encourage children to read and help them figure out where to begin their book journey.
  • Inside the Germany pavilion. The country is the book fair's guest of honour for a second year running.
    Inside the Germany pavilion. The country is the book fair's guest of honour for a second year running.
  • With the weekdays normally dedicated to school groups aged 16 and above, educational pavilions are where most of the action is in the mornings and early afternoons.
    With the weekdays normally dedicated to school groups aged 16 and above, educational pavilions are where most of the action is in the mornings and early afternoons.

The charm of Abu Dhabi International Book Fair: why I've been going for the past 11 years


Saeed Saeed
  • English
  • Arabic

A major feature distinguishing book fairs from literary festivals is a sense of discovery.

With the latter being a more static experience largely consisting of sessions featuring bestselling authors, a book fair packs the X factor of hundreds of international publishers, authors and booksellers on site promoting their work.

That alchemy of creativity, collaboration, networking and trade not only gives each international, regional or, in the case of the UAE’s Abu Dhabi and Sharjah events, local book fairs their own flavour, it also ensures each annual staging is not the same.

Scroll through the gallery above to see images of the 2022 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair

This is why visiting the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair — which I've been doing for the past 11 years — never gets old. There are always new authors to meet and the opportunity to reconnect with seasoned booksellers returning with fresh stock.

The key to unlocking such an engrossing experience is an open mind and closed feet. The blisters of past years have taught me that walking 11,000 steps in presumably comfortable sandals is no match for regular trainers. Put them on and get lost within the labyrinth of stalls and walkways of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre because you will never know what you may find or who you may meet.

A blast from the past

Mohamed Suleiman from Dar Al Fadeela Bookshop. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
Mohamed Suleiman from Dar Al Fadeela Bookshop. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

It is during these sojourns that I spot the chaotic Dar Al Fadeela Bookshop.

The messy mix of vintage Arabic newspapers, magazines and novels strewn across the site is part of the charm. Specialising in literary material from the past 100 years, Dar Al Fadeela Bookshop, which has branches in Dubai and Ajman, wants baby boomers and those who grew up in the '80s to spend hours in the stand on a treasure hunt to find a cherished magazine or newspapers from their youth.

Realising I work for an English-language newspaper, Egyptian manager Mohamed Suleiman’s eyes light up.

Rummaging through a shelf of magazines, he uncovers a 1956 edition of National Geographic magazine. At its heart is an article on the UAE during its Trucial States era, with a large section dedicated to what is now Al Shindagha Historical District.

“What we do is normally buy other book shops and collections in bulk with the hope of finding something special,” Suleiman says. “When we found this we were excited. It has to be one of the first major magazine articles about the UAE.”

This 1956 edition of National Geographic magazine from Dar Al Fadeela Bookshop includes a feature on the UAE's Trucial States era. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
This 1956 edition of National Geographic magazine from Dar Al Fadeela Bookshop includes a feature on the UAE's Trucial States era. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Nearby, Christoph Auvermann of French antiquarian booksellers Librairie Clavreuil possibly possesses one of the oldest books in the country.

"Well, it’s more a music manuscript than a book,” he says. “It was written by German monks in 1450. It is made out of the skin of a young calf and it is full of scores that monks can chant between their days of prayer."

The eye-watering price tag of €350,000 ($376,000) is also a cause for reflection, but Auverman is confident he can find a buyer in Abu Dhabi.

Christoph Auvermann from Librairie Clavreuil displays a 15th-century book of hymns he hopes to sell at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
Christoph Auvermann from Librairie Clavreuil displays a 15th-century book of hymns he hopes to sell at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

“This is quite niche but it is also something of great importance and value for those truly interested in the arts,” he says. “It is a great piece of artwork. You place this in the middle of the room on its stand and I guarantee it will be a conversation-starter.”

For the new generation

But it's not only old books and collector's items at the fair. A new generation of authors with tales of our time are also present.

I find Kande Summers, 13, the British-born Jamaican author at the Black Books Collective stand. Since launching at the 2020 Sharjah International Book Fair with Summer's debut futuristic novel Going Home, the organisation has grown to promote racially inclusive literature by international authors.

Regarding her intergalactic tale of young teenager finding her way back to Earth, Summers has written a story she and hopefully others can identify with.

Author Kande Summers, 13, is showcasing her works at the Black Book Collective stand at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
Author Kande Summers, 13, is showcasing her works at the Black Book Collective stand at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

"It is really important to me because growing up the things I saw and read had people that didn't look like me," she says. "So now that I am in a position to influence others around me, I want to write a story that is fun to read and also make people who look like me feel more comfortable with themselves.”

The Black Books Collective's small collection of titles pales in comparison to the heaving shelves of novels at Booktopia. But look a little bit closer and that perceived breadth of options gradually dissipates.

Booktopia may be packed with books, but there are often many copies of the same title or several books by one author. The shelf behind the section's manager, Balaji Vadivel, is stacked with nearly 50 novels by 20th-century adventure author Clive Cussler.

“Some people do like him very much,” Vadivel says, before admitting that most of the titles are excess stock from the shop's Dubai Festival City branch.

At Dh20 a pop, though, I grab myself a couple of novels by James Ellroy and Nick Hornby in preparation for a future holiday.

My dreams of that beach getaway are temporarily shattered, however, when strolling by the Horus International Publishing House.

I can’t take my eyes off the main book stand, home to a series of Arabic children's books filled with graphic photos of spiders, ranging from a tarantula to the killer redback.

A book of spiders from the Horus International Publishing House at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Saeed Saeed / The National
A book of spiders from the Horus International Publishing House at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Saeed Saeed / The National

“The kids love these. It is our bestseller and part of a series that also includes dinosaurs and monkeys,” an attendant says.

Once again, the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair never fails to deliver.

The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair runs until Sunday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. More information is available at adbookfair.com

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet

Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder

Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km

Get Out

Director: Jordan Peele

Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford

Four stars

The Bio

Name: Lynn Davison

Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi

Children: She has one son, Casey, 28

Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK

Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite Author: CJ Sansom

Favourite holiday destination: Bali

Favourite food: A Sunday roast

SPECS

Mini John Cooper Works Clubman and Mini John Cooper Works Countryman

Engine: two-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Transmission: nine-speed automatic

Power: 306hp

Torque: 450Nm

Price: JCW Clubman, Dh220,500; JCW Countryman, Dh225,500

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETwig%20Solutions%20(with%20trade%20name%20Twig)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EChafic%20Idriss%2C%20Karam%20El%20Dik%20and%20Rayan%20Antonios%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Ebootstrapped%20(undisclosed)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E13%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Epre-seed%20%E2%80%94%20closing%20the%20round%20as%20we%20speak%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20senior%20executives%20from%20the%20GCC%20financial%20services%20industry%20and%20global%20family%20offices%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates

Film: In Syria
Dir: Philippe Van Leeuw
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bo Abboud, Mohsen Abbas and Juliette Navis
Verdict: Four stars

India team for Sri Lanka series

Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Sourabh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.

T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan

Armies of Sand

By Kenneth Pollack (Oxford University Press)
 

Name: Peter Dicce

Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics

Favourite sport: soccer

Favourite team: Bayern Munich

Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer

Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates 

 

THE SPECS

Jaguar F-Pace SVR

Engine: 5-litre supercharged V8​​​​​​​

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Power: 542bhp​​​​​​​

Torque: 680Nm​​​​​​​

Price: Dh465,071

AGL AWARDS

Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)

The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre

The%20US%20Congress%20explained
%3Cp%3E-%20Congress%20is%20one%20of%20three%20branches%20of%20the%20US%20government%2C%20and%20the%20one%20that%20creates%20the%20nation's%20federal%20laws%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20Congress%20is%20divided%20into%20two%20chambers%3A%20The%20House%20of%20Representatives%20and%20the%20Senate%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%C2%A0The%20House%20is%20made%20up%20of%20435%20members%20based%20on%20a%20state's%20population.%20House%20members%20are%20up%20for%20election%20every%20two%20years%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20A%20bill%20must%20be%20approved%20by%20both%20the%20House%20and%20Senate%20before%20it%20goes%20to%20the%20president's%20desk%20for%20signature%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20A%20political%20party%20needs%20218%20seats%20to%20be%20in%20control%20of%20the%20House%20of%20Representatives%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20The%20Senate%20is%20comprised%20of%20100%20members%2C%20with%20each%20state%20receiving%20two%20senators.%20Senate%20members%20serve%20six-year%20terms%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20A%20political%20party%20needs%2051%20seats%20to%20control%20the%20Senate.%20In%20the%20case%20of%20a%2050-50%20tie%2C%20the%20party%20of%20the%20president%20controls%20the%20Senate%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

U19 World Cup in South Africa

Group A: India, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka

Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies

Group C: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe

Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa, UAE

UAE fixtures

Saturday, January 18, v Canada

Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan

Saturday, January 25, v South Africa

UAE squad

Aryan Lakra (captain), Vriitya Aravind, Deshan Chethyia, Mohammed Farazuddin, Jonathan Figy, Osama Hassan, Karthik Meiyappan, Rishabh Mukherjee, Ali Naseer, Wasi Shah, Alishan Sharafu, Sanchit Sharma, Kai Smith, Akasha Tahir, Ansh Tandon

Vikram%20Vedha
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Gayatri%2C%20Pushkar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hrithik%20Roshan%2C%20Saif%20Ali%20Khan%2C%20Radhika%20Apte%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Updated: October 12, 2022, 10:23 AM