show. as the books and readers do still exist a recent study indicates that fewer people are buying books these days but those who do buy more. it's. one of the stars of this year's event is the outspoken russian american journalist and activist mushing gessen she has been awarded the twenty nine thousand leipsic book fair award for european understanding. these days people are lining up to interview matia gessen the author of the award winning work the future is history how totalitarianism reclaimed russia. it makes a provocative claim. russia's future is shaped by its past and you might say that about any country but what i