Defying the scaremongers, German book fair draws record visitors
A record number of visitors have attended Germany's popular Leipzig Book Fair this year, according to figures revealed on the final day of the four-day event on Sunday.
The book industry has been under economic pressure for years, amid recurring warnings that books are a dying breed, but the crowds of bookworms flocking to the eastern German city for one of Europe's largest book fairs suggest otherwise.
Some 269,000 visitors attended the Leipzig Book Fair, the Leipzig Reads festival and the Manga-Comic-Con convention this year, up from 13,000 in 2024 - the highest attendance number seen in the event's history.
"The great interest in the book fair shows how important the analogue experience still is," said Director Astrid Böhmisch.
At the same time, the number of exhibitors this year decreased slightly to 2,040 compared to 2,085 last year.
According to the German Publishers and Booksellers Association, small, independent publishers in particular are facing economic pressure.
In Germany, federal and state-level support for publishers is mainly available in the form of prizes awarded for literary programmes.
But the association argued that this type of funding isn't predictable enough, calling for better structural support.
Book sales declined by 1.7% Germany last year, according to the association. While total turnover still increased by 0.8%, this was merely due to the fact that books have become more expensive, it said.
The guest of honour at this year's Leipzig Book Fair was Norway, with some 50 authors, including Karl Ove Knausgård and Trude Teige, representing the Scandinavian country under the motto "Traum im Frühling" (Dream in spring).
Next year's book fair is due to take place from March 19-22.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
BVB arrives in Florida to kick off their CWC campaign
Except for Gregor Kobel, who is already in the U.S. following international duty with Switzerland, all players from the squad (see overview) were on board the flight to the States. The team's first training session on American soil is scheduled for the evening (Florida is six hours behind German time). The arrival day will conclude with a team barbecue. BVB will kick off the tournament on Tuesday with a match against Fluminense (12 p.m. local time / 6 p.m. CEST) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The other group stage opponents are Mamelodi Sundowns (June 21, 12 p.m. / 6 p.m. CEST) and Ulsan HD (3 p.m. / 9 p.m. CEST). Both of these matches will take place at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tender Store Owner Cheryl Daskas Dies at 71
Funeral services were held in Troy, Mich., on Friday for Cheryl Daskas, a former model who ran the directional fashion boutique Tender. The cause of death for Daskas, who died on June 9, was not immediately known, according to the publicist Ellen Carey, who was a friend. Daskas had seemed 'fine' while working in the store on Saturday, aside from complaining of a leg issue, Carey said. She was found 'peacefully' at her home, following a wellness check by one of her employees, Carey said. More from WWD Groundbreaking Fashions Focus of Tokyo Exhibition Suite Talk: Frank Darling's Kegan Fisher on Making the Move From Tech to Art The History Behind the World's Most Expensive Tiaras: From Elizabeth Taylor's Mike Todd Headpiece to the $12.7 Million Henckel von Donnersmarck Tiara and More Born in Detroit, the 71-year-old spent her career in the fashion industry in different capacities. For the past 32 years, she owned and operated the store Tender in Birmingham, Mich., with her sister Karen. Tender is known for its European designer labels, which prior to the store's opening were not in abundance in the Midwest. The pair owned the downtown building that houses Tender, and they shared a home as well. Daskas earned a bachelor's degree at Michigan State University before getting into fashion. During her high school and college years, she modeled for the Ford Motor Company, Hudson's department store and other brands, before deciding 'that's not where she was going to make her money,' her sister said. 'She said it was like looking for a job every day of your life. Our mother was a model too. She was British and Scandinavian. They were both so pretty.' Tender once resided next door to a leading designer retailer Linda Dresner. After Dresner shuttered that store, Tender picked up Dries Van Noten. It also sells Erdem, Simone Rocha and Ashlyn, a 2025 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist, for its 3,000-square-foot shop. Lanvin was once a strong seller there, during the Alber Elbaz years, Carey said. With pale blue walls, architectural displays and top-shelf names, Tender looks more like the type of a polished retailer one finds in Manhattan or Los Angeles. Ashlyn's managing director Johanne Shepley Siff met the sisters 30 years ago in her former role as senior vice president of sales and marketing at Prada. Siff said, 'We've lost one of the gems of the specialty store business. Cheryl was a force. I called her a 'textile archeologist.' She could immediately identify products of integrity.' Sift added, 'Tender is one of the opinion leaders, and one of the go-to retailers at the high-end specialty store. They not only take the risk to identify emerging talent, but they also have the structure and wherewithal to introduce that talent to a customer they have cultivated to appreciate new talent.' Accustomed to working six days a week, Cheryl Daskas would arrive at 8:30 am, if a customer requested that. The co-owners called their store employees 'Tender-ettes,' and they stayed connected with those past and present through the years, Karen Daskas said. 'Cheryl loved what she did. It was not about her or Tender. It was always about everybody else doing well,' Karen Daskas said. 'She had this gift, where she could look at someone and immediately know what size they were and what types of clothes would look good on them. And you didn't have to be a size four. You could be any size. She was just going to make you look great and feel the best that you can be.' With a larger-than-life personality, she was recognizable for her auburn cropped hair, broad smile and designer outfits. 'She was very tall and grand. When she came into a room, she stole the show,' Carey, who owns Seed Inc., said. Even in the early 1990s, the sisters understood the importance of retailers working closely with manufacturers to create items that would appeal to their customers. They took a highly personal approach to helping shoppers in the store and were also loyal supporters of the arts community through events and philanthropy in Birmingham, Carey said. Recalling how they collaborated on vintage jewelry shows at Tender on occasion, Carey said, 'Cheryl could sell like no one else could. Her heart was 100 percent in everything she did. Why do you want to do something if you're not going to do it well?' They would typically sell 150 of 200 items during a two-day sale. Kenneth Jay Lane items were of particular interest to shoppers and to Daskas, who would set aside five pairs of earrings for herself, Carey said. 'I would say, 'Cheryl, these are for the customers,' and she would say, 'Well, I'm a customer.'' But she wore them during the trunk show sales, and she was the showpiece, Carey said. 'And you're going to want them, if she's wearing them. Karen would not have done that. Karen would have sold them.' While Cheryl Daskas handled front-of-the house sales and the store's social media, Karen Daskas managed the buying trips. Off the clock, Cheryl Daskas enjoyed gardening, relaxing poolside, grilling and sharing meals and binge-watching shows with her sister. 'Every night we would tell eachother we loved eachother and give eachother a hug. We never fought except for a couple of sister squabbles,' Karen Daskas said. 'It's just a shock. We never got married and we didn't have kids. We have two little Kerry Terriers 'Whiskey' and 'Gogo.'' Daskas is survived by her sister. Best of WWD Kate Middleton's Looks at Trooping the Colour Through the Years [PHOTOS] Young Brooke Shields' Style Evolution, Archive Photos: From Runway Modeling & Red Carpets to Meeting Princess Diana The Most Memorable French Open Tennis Outfits With Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka & More [PHOTOS]
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
10 more West Virginian books that were turned into movies — Part 2
CLARKSBURG, (WBOY) — Even after our first list of West Virginia authors who had their books turned into movies, there are still more books written by West Virginian authors that weren't included the first time around. So, for anyone looking for a movie to watch or a book to read, here are 10 more adaptations that have roots in West Virginia. Special thanks to the many 12 News readers who contributed to this list — if you know of a book written by a West Virginian that has been adapted to film, you can email the author of this article at sgorski2@ Adapted from the book of the same name, 'The Bridge at Remagen' focuses on a pivotal battle during the tail end of World War II in the spring of 1945, where Allied forces captured one of the last remaining bridges spanning the Rhine River, allowing them to cross into the heart of German territory. Although the book's author, Ken Hechler, was born in New York, he attended Marshall University and lived in Huntington for many years, eventually becoming a West Virginia Congressman in 1959. According to an interview with the National Archives, Hechler was stationed with the First Army in Command of the III Corps at the time of the battle at Remagen, about 10 miles away. As a combat historian, Hechler interviewed many troops involved and published his own book detailing the battle in 1957, which was adapted to film in 1969. Filming for the movie began in 1968 in Czechoslovakia, a country behind the 'Iron Curtain.' According to the American Film Institute (AFI), much of the military equipment seen in the film was loaned by the Austrian and Czech governments, including tanks, explosives, weapons and even Nazi uniforms. Three city squares in the town of Most had already been planned for demolition prior to filming, and their destruction was used in action scenes during production. Ironically, work on the movie was interrupted by the repercussions of the very war it was looking to portray. On Aug. 20, 1968, Soviet troops invaded Czechoslovakia, causing the film's cast and crew to hastily evacuate to other European countries, leaving behind hundreds of thousands, if not over a million dollars worth of film equipment in Soviet controlled territory. Despite this, some of the film's equipment was eventually recovered, and the world premiere for 'The Bridge at Remagen' was held on June 25, 1968 at the Keith-Albee Theatre in Huntington, West Virginia. According to the AFI, the premiere was attended by Hechler as well as Brig. Gen. (Ret.) William M. Hoge, who commanded the armored division that captured the Remagen Bridge during World War II. While 'Feast of the Seven Fishes' is much better known as a movie, the story originated as a comic strip in November 2005 and was written by Fairmont native Robert Tinnell and illustrated by Alex Saviuk. Both the movie and comic are a distillation of Italian Christmas traditions, particularly in areas like north central West Virginia. The movie was filmed in Fairmont and can be watched on Peacock and Amazon Prime. Feast of the Seven Fishes: How the Marion County holiday movie came to be Pearl S. Buck, who was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia, is a prolific author and the first American woman to win both a Pulitzer and a Nobel prize. Though born in West Virginia, Buck lived in China during her childhood, which she drew on heavily for her later writing. 'The Good Earth' novel was first published in 1931 and tells the story of a Chinese farmer and his wife as their life is uprooted by a flood. The book was critically acclaimed upon release and became one of Buck's best-known works. It was only the first of many books written by the author that would later be adapted to the big screen. Jeannette Walls' memoir 'The Glass Castle' was a #1 New York Times bestseller and tells the true story of Walls' tumultuous and nomadic upbringing, with a large part of the book taking place in West Virginia. The film adaptation of the book was released in 2017, starring Brie Larson as Jeannette Walls, Woody Harrelson as Walls' father Rex, and Naomi Watts as Walls' mother Rose Mary. The movie turned into a moderate box office success with a worldwide gross of around $22M and an estimated budget of $9M according to IMDB. Another best-selling Pearl S. Buck novel that was adapted into a movie, 'Dragon Seed' is also set in China and tells the story of a Chinese village invaded by Japanese soldiers during World War II. The lead role of 'Jade Tan' is played by Katherine Hepburn, who leads the resistance against the Japanese occupation. 'China Sky' is another movie adaptation of a Buck book, and as the title indicates, it too is set in China during World War II. However, according to descriptions of the movie and viewer reviews, 'China Sky' is less about the wider conflict and instead uses it as a backdrop for a love triangle between Dr. Gray Thompson (played by Randolph Scott), Dr. Sara Durand (Ruth Warrick) and Louise Thompson (Ellen Drew). At just one hour and 18 minutes long, 'China Sky' is also the shortest Pearl S. Buck movie by a large margin. 'Blaze' follows the story of Blaze Starr, a burlesque dancer born in Wilsondale, West Virginia, under the name Fannie Belle Fleming, and her controversial love affair with Louisiana governor Earl Long. The movie was adapted from a biography written by Huey Perry, a Mingo County native, and stars Paul Newman as Earl Long and Lolita Davidovich as Blaze Starr. Blaze Star also cameoed in the film and is credited for playing the role 'Lily' on IMDB. Hardcover copies of 'Blaze Starr: My Life as Told to Huey Perry' can still be purchased online today, and Perry even gave a talk on his published works at the West Virginia Archives in 2016. Another Buck book, 'The Big Wave,' focuses on a tidal wave and the lasting impact it has on a coastal Japanese village and the people who live there. Set during the Chinese Civil War in 1949, 'Satan Never Sleeps,' tells the story of two Catholic priests as they are targeted by the local communist party, and stars William Holden, Clifton Webb, and France Nuyen, who plays Siu Lan, a love interest for Holden's character. Starring William Dafoe, 'Pavilion of Women' is another drama romance set in China, adapted from Buck's book of the same name. The movie takes place shortly before the beginning of World War II as a Chinese family comes to grips with changes in tradition and the rise of communism in China. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
