Authors from all over the world at the 22nd TBF
Thessaloniki is becoming the meeting point for Greek and foreign authors, playwrights, illustrators, translators, and screenwriters. TBF becomes the platform for all voices to be heard from everywhere, in a fascinating dialogue of cultures that promotes peaceful coexistence, freedom of expression, mutual respect, and pluralism.
Among the authors from abroad, we will have the opportunity to meet Dominic Amerena, one of the promising new voices of Australian literature, who will present his award-winning debut “I Want Everything” (Genitria Publications). Also joining is the internationally renowned Cuban poet Víctor Rodríguez Núñez, who is being translated into Greek for the first time with his poetry anthology “Wild Algebra” (Eirini Publications), as well as the Icelandic poet Haukur Ingvarsson and the Basque poet Tere Irastortza Garmendia, who will participate in discussions on Aspects of Scandinavian & Northern Countries’ Poetry and Modern Spanish Poetry respectively (Saixpirikon Editions). The world-famous Palestinian poet Najwan Darwish will present the bilingual edition of his book “Every Time I Approach a Storm” (Kyverti Publications).
Iranian-Swedish author Athena Farrokhzad and Greek-Swedish translator and author Antonis Bogadakis will present their books “Donkey Days” and “The Walk of the Trees.” They will be joined by the Greek poet Petros Isaacidis, who lives in Cape Town and will speak about his book “Volcanoed” (Thraca Books). Αward-winning authors Evald Flisar and Sarai Shavit are visiting Thessaloniki to present their Greek editions, the novels “Alice in Crazyland” & “Look Through the Window” and the poetic novel “Figures of Speech” (Vakxikon Publications), with the support of Creative Europe and the Embassy of Slovenia in Athens.
Dato Magradze, one of Georgia’s most important poets, a nominee for the 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature and lyricist of his country’s national anthem, will present his poetry collection “The Fertile Land” (Entypois Editions), while Virgjil Muçi, one of Albania’s most dynamic literary voices, will introduce us to “The Princess of the Moon” (Eurasia Books). Also present at the fair will be Adnan Özer and Cenk Gündoğdu (Govostis Publications), among the most important poets of contemporary Turkish literature, who will participate in the discussion Poets amidst and beyond war. Professor of Modern Greek Studies at the University of Bucharest, Tudor Dinu (Akritas Publications), is coming to Thessaloniki as a guest of the Romanian Ministry of Culture, while University of Ljubljana professor and author Miha Kovač presents his essay “I Read Therefore I Am: Ten Reasons to Read Books in the Digital Age” (To Mellon Publications) on reading culture. Additionally, Crete University Press invites Robert Hayden, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Pittsburgh, for the presentation of his book “From Yugoslavia to the Western Balkans: Studies of a European Disintegration, 1991-2011.”
Sandrone Dazieri, one of the most important contemporary representatives of European crime fiction, comes to Thessaloniki as a guest of the Italian Cultural Institute of Athens. As an author, screenwriter, and journalist, he has achieved international success with the “Colomba Caselli” trilogy, starting with “Kill the Father,” while as a screenwriter and headwriter, he has overseen several highly successful television series. Invited by the Goethe-Institut and the Heinrich Böll Foundation Thessaloniki, Valentin Groebner presents his book “Retroland” (Lemvos Editions), taking us to places where time seems to have frozen and exploring how “history tourism” was born. The Goethe-Institut Thessaloniki also brings bestselling author Carsten Henn with his tender, bibliophilic novel “The Door-to-Door Bookstore” (Metaixmio Publications), as well as Leif Randt with his novel “Allegro Pastell” (Elkystis Publications), considered one of the most characteristic millennial romance novels.
Invited by the French Institute of Thessaloniki is the Algerian author Kaouther Adimi with her book “With a Bad Wind” (Polis Editions), a sweeping portrait of Algeria spanning almost a century, from colonization to the struggle for independence, until 1992 when the country plunged into civil war. The Embassy of the Republic of Poland introduces us to Urszula Honek, the distinguished Polish creator and Grand Prix winner of the Rainer Maria Rilke poetry competition, who comes with the short story collection “White Nights” which placed her on the International Booker Prize 2024 shortlist.
Authors from abroad in the Children and Young Adult Programme Swedish authors Camilla and Erica Hindborg, with the support of Creative Europe (Trans-European Journeys) and the Swedish Arts Council, will present the Greek edition of their book “The Sea’s Underwear” (Vakxikon Publications), which won the environmental award of the Jönköping municipality in Sweden. They will read their book in English and discuss the global problem of pollution and marine litter with children aged 6-12. Invited by the French Institute and the French School of Thessaloniki, Orianne Lallemand comes to the children’s corner with her “Wolf” (Papadopoulos Publications), who changes moods from one moment to the next. A workshop will be held in French for the students of the French School and a workshop with Greek translation for children of all ages, featuring narrator and translator Evi Gerokosta.
Author Berislav Blagojević has prepared an activity workshop for learning Cyrillic script alongside his “library kittens,” the heroes of his children’s book. Children will discover similarities and differences between the Greek and Cyrillic alphabets and form words using letter stickers. This is organized by the National and University Library of the Republic of SRPSKA for children aged 6-12. Andreja Peklar and Jana Bauer, award-winning and widely translated Slovenian authors, will present the Greek translations of their children’s books “How to Hug a Hedgehog?”, “The Moon and I,” and “A Thousand Birds” (Vakxikon Publications). They will prepare a fun quiz and a creative craft workshop where children will make birds and hedgehogs, with the support ofCreative Europe (Connected with Books) and the Embassy of Slovenia for children aged 6-9.
Invited by the Goethe-Institut Thessaloniki, the distinguished Austrian author Ursula Poznanski will present her award-winning young adult thriller “Erebos” (Patakis Publishers), the story of a mysterious online game that draws players into dangerous missions. Dimitra Kyranoudi will discuss the inspiration behind the bestseller and the lasting fascination that YA thrillers hold for young readers, for teenagers and adults. The Goethe-Institut Thessaloniki also brings author Carsten Henn with his “Golden Typewriter” which, together with the Gamecraft creative gaming group, invites us to a live mystery game where children will get involved in adventures trying to correct all the wrong historical information. For children aged 9 and older. Finally, Spanish author Eulalia Canal invites us for “Strawberry Tea in the Badger’s Nest” – “The Blue Secret of the Wolf” (Metaixmio Publications), along with Bear, Badger, Wolf, and Squirrel, four friends who can change the world when they are together. For children aged 5 and older.
General photos of the exhibition can be found HERE.
More information and details about the 22nd TBF programme will be announced in the coming days. You can also visit the fair’s website thessalonikibookfair.gr, which, as the social media managed by HFBC, will be constantly updated and enriched. The Thessaloniki International Book Fair (TBF) is organized by the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture (HFBC) in collaboration with TIF–HELEXPO, Greek publishers, and the Municipality of Thessaloniki, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Region of Central Macedonia. It is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, within the framework of the ROP Central Macedonia 2021-2027. TBF is a member of the International Book Fairs Forum and the European Book Fairs Network ALDUS UP.
