The 35th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair opened at Adnec Centre on Sunday, with former Spanish king Juan Carlos I appearing at the launch of the Arabic edition of his memoir Reconciliation.
In a brief address, Juan Carlos said he decided to write Reconciliation because he believed Spain’s transition to democracy had not been properly explained.
“At the moment, I see that in the newspapers and the press, the transition hasn’t been explained exactly as it happened,” he said.
The former king worked on the book for two years with French writer Laurence Debray.
The launch was among the first events in a six-day programme built around the theme 'Turn the Page, Read the World'.
The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair opening day also included the launch of Archive of Tomorrow: Modern Heritage in Abu Dhabi.
A photographic history of the capital’s architecture, it is the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi’s first official publication devoted to the emirate’s modern heritage.
The bilingual coffee-table book brings together writing, photography and artwork on buildings, sites and urban landscapes across Abu Dhabi. The book will be available for sale later in the year.
Beyond the launches, the bright red Blind Date with a Book stand offered another kind of discovery by removing the author, title and cover from the buying decision.
Popular fiction and non-fiction titles were wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. Priced Dh35 to Dh65 ($9.50 to $15), the books were selected for their readability and aimed at readers aged 15 and older.
Stall manager Hanna Leona said the idea was to help readers who can sometimes feel overwhelmed by the number of choices at a book fair.
“Sometimes people come looking for a certain book and forget about all the other choices around them,” she said. “There can be so much choice that you become paralysed by it. This takes that away and lets you focus on being excited about a book again.”
She said visitors had already started buying several wrapped titles at a time. “Give every book some time and it may grow on you,” she said. “If not, you can always give it to somebody else.”
For Sharjah's Al Ummah Bookshop, taking part in the fair is a way to preserve the personal exchange of a traditional bookshop while operating largely online.
The family business began 25 years ago selling CDs and recordings of spiritual lectures before moving into books. There is no longer a permanent shop and staff deliver purchases directly to customers.
Ibrahim Ismail, who works with his father, said the fair allows them to meet readers who would otherwise know the business through only its website.
“We come to book fairs to meet our customers because a significant portion of them now buy books online,” he said. “For us, it is a chance to understand what they prefer and how we can serve them better. It also lets them know what we have.”
“Running a bookstore is great but there are a lot of expenses. We are trying to get the best of both worlds. We sell online and deliver books right to your door but we also come to book fairs to meet our customers.”
He believes they have retained the relationship between bookseller and reader despite giving up the physical shop.
“We still have the spirit of a bookstore, which is the personal interaction, while understanding where the industry is going,” he said. “I think we have found the right balance.”
Abu Dhabi International Book Fair runs until Friday at Adnec Centre. Entry to the public programme is free with online registration
