Signs of gloom and doom of the likes of book for despite the fact that a major german book wholesaler recently the clear bankruptcy turnover of stock meant but this time the book fair is bigger and more international than ever. Channel is making its debut here with publishers from across the country and theyve brought along books in a wide variety of genres. If the first time here i am so i think id like to think is open to public so its interesting to get to meet their readers i think its also the place where. The new book are really every year so i its good to be there and to feel the trends and. Readers can meet their favorite authors and then my. In frankfurt stock up on books. This publisher is trying to attract Young Readers with a selfie competition. A more serious note this years book fair focuses on South Eastern Europe and the erosion of democracy and freedom of speech. Germanys federal agency for Civic Education was sponsoring a series of discussions and book reading thirty years of change and young people there and now. As you can mention do you know whats happening with young people the ones who were born after nine hundred eighty nine who have no historical reference points except perhaps through their parents generation are they rebellious how are they dealing with responsibility. What are they thinking and feeling and what does europe mean to them and suggest that it is the only hope for. Many of the new books of the fair deal with political and historical events and focus on contemporary issues the event offers a number of discussions with authors and experts. On the hot topic is the future of the Book Publishing industry itself. Facing stiff competition from ebooks books in demand and self published money scripts has been the prize for the best self published book since two thousand and seventeen last year monika fund more won the prize for story. Nobody wanted to publish it but now its proving popular for barr says self publishing offers a number of advantages. To me says im in china as i speak one major factor is the wide variety of topics that you can find in these kinds of books and that includes all sorts of marginal subjects that are just as important but dont appeal to the mainstream publishers. That ive had someone for example in my book i address the issue of sexual harassment. And ability i think its extremely important to have a platform to initiate discussion bassinet discuss you want. Lots of fair 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. Its. One of the stars of this years 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. Russias future is shaped by its past and you might say that about any country but what i mean specifically about russia is that. The seventy four years of to tell it as im shaped an entirely Different Society than what we have seen elsewhere in the world russia has not told any story about its history and specifically the history of stalinist terror. Stalin ruled the soviet union with an iron fist until one nine hundred fifty three but even today the dictator is celebrated as the one who helped defeat Hitler Stalin dreamed of a mighty empire but millions of russians lost their lives as a result something that often goes on mentioned. And so its very hard to tell a story about it but without a story a society is unable to move forward so the future is history both in the sense that its determined by history and that its. Its a history that hasnt been told and also in english the future is history also means the future has gone. To change russia presents itself as a modern country to the i. World yet the nation is deeply divided for her book Marsha Gessen conducted interviews with russian men and women who were born in the one nine hundred eighty s. And lived with an inner turmoil to this day. I wanted to look at that generation i wanted to look at people who grew up in the ninetys because i think its a very specific condition that hasnt been described that the condition of being a child in an extremely Unstable Society they need to remember the collapse of the soviet union when they were just seven years old they needed to be from different backgrounds from different cities but also different class backgrounds with a different relationship to power i want to to use them in the sense as a vehicle to understanding some of the politics both of the perestroika error and of the ninetys i. Guess since family immigrated to the us from the soviet union in the one nine hundred eighty s. Jewish intellectuals who saw no future there. Was fourteen at the time ten years later she returned to moscow to work as a journalist. And the first time i went back to the soviet union was in march one thousand nine hundred one. When there were demonstrations in the streets in the sky and it was rationed by three hundred thousand people people were talking but all the important things there was actually politics happening people were talking about what the relationship between the individual and the state should be people were talking about how the government and society should be constitutes. An era of huge change the soviet union was coming to an end russia was about to embark on a new era with new leadership. For journalists and i think a person theres nothing more exciting than being able to witness that up close. So i you know i was i was i was so drawn to that that i just wanted to stay and keep writing that story and for most of the ninetys i did for most of the ninetys i felt that every story i wrote was a new story no one had written before i mean thats thats an amazing thing for a journalist to experience. Then after a tumultuous decade president yeltsin presented x. K. G. B. Officer Vladimir Putin as the countrys new Prime Minister he vowed to return russia to its former greatness critics were silenced in twenty eleven when thousands protested against an allegedly rigged parliamentary election musher guess it was out on the front lines and had to leave russia as a result i think it was my participation in the protests. And my being very out as a queer person i had been publicly out for many many years. And it had never been a problem until the kremlin launched its antigay campaign in two thousand and twelve. Then i suddenly became a problem and the reason i had to leave was because my family was directly threatened. With the removal of my oldest son who is adopted from the family in two thousand and thirteen guests and her partner and their three children relocated to new york since then she has spoken out publicly about putins hunger for power and the irony of history that the us is now governed by a president who sees himself as a friend of putin however i mean there is no comparison right russia is supposed to tell a turn country and the United States is is a weak and dysfunctional democracy. Those are vastly different systems. Against its book focuses on russia under putin. It pulls no punches and now it is one of the twenty nine Thousand Lights the book fair award for european understand. Twenty nine thousand is the year of big anniversaries many are being celebrated in new books we turn the spotlight on three of our favorites. Encounters with wild animals and exciting climbs up the sides of volcanoes its all in a new illustrated account of alexander from home old south america expedition. And revolvers book marks the two hundred Fiftieth Anniversary of germanys famous geographer and naturalist and explorer the book was inspired by homeworks plant samples sketches and newly released passages from his daily journal. It was an amazing journey full of adventures and new discoveries in both descriptions of his encounters with Indigenous Peoples are both vivid. And moving. On will describe the impact humans were already having on the environment and condemned slavery in cuba. Lillian measure provided the rich and detailed illustrations for a whole new book. The iconic painting mona lisa remains a mystery to this day the artist Leonardo Da Vinci died in fifteen nineteen. And has written a new biography of davinci describing him as a universal genius and an early supporter of womens emancipation. Fallen says given she portrayed women who were intelligent and strong willed. For example ginevra to mention a fifteenth century intellectual. Or this painting love better federal and yeah often called portrait of an unknown woman both proud and selfconfident. Book portrays a uniquely talented artist who broke with tradition and developed new perspectives on women thought and the world in general. Here. On july twentieth one thousand nine hundred sixty nine astronauts landed on the moon for the first time. And it was a worldwide media sensation. To mark the Fiftieth Anniversary of the event a new book on the history of nasa the u. S. Space agency has hit the shelves its called the nasa archives sixty years in space written by a british science journalist and space historian piers because only. It includes hundreds of photographs and rare documents from nesses archives. The lavishly illustrated volume outlines the key role the u. S. Space program plays in Space Technology you. Know nasa plans to send astronauts to mars perhaps as early as twenty thirty three. The next archives sixty years in space is a breathtaking trip through time and space. This years country of honor is the Czech Republic and the czechs have brought a lot of fine work along with them we talked to four featured writers before the big event. A majestic castle narrow alleyways numerous domes and towers and impressive bridges spanning the whole top of. Prague is a jewel with a millennium of history a city on the move in Central Europe. The true steps of the communist era is history now prague is a popular destination for tourists from across the globe. To raise a small tumble of our lives here the writer observes the hustle and bustle and the czech capital from an amused distance. Yes do it as best go to get over. It that it could have. Been happy is lucky. Yeah city kenya cohost keep up that he doesnt enjoy. It but. To raise a similar to move off her living as a translator her first. Its the story of a young woman whos tried and failed to fit in once too often. Hurt and disappointed she makes the radical decision to move into an old cupboard left in the courtyard. Kuntar by undead and one by death she could live with other people with her sister her girlfriend her family and. A village brought on me but she doesnt want to be there and deal with other people. Because she needs to deal with herself like they see a hundred. One at the same time shes somehow incapable of taking action and cant afford her own apartment on so that coverage gives her a bit of freedom in this provisional situation by height in their. Throughout so. She feels lost in a way which could perhaps only happen in the success driven consumer oriented western world its a story thats honest as it is absurd. The one constant in the young protagonists life is a friendly vietnamese and he lets her use the washroom in a shop and gives her a smile and something to eat. This is more than a mere detail its a nod to multiculturalism at a time when czech politicians often disparage the countrys mutinies minority. Is the Czech Republic xenophobia. In twenty fifteen at the height of europes refugee crisis the country accepted under two hundred people and a good move out soon is for my generation its extremely painful to hear that the Czech Republic refused to accept refugees. I didnt refuse to the government refused to i myself helped refugees he said so i had to fixing him got hold of me i drove to hungary and took a good look at the situation. And i formed my own opinion. Who get mocked she says of course people in the Czech Republic appreciate the material freedoms and the opportunities to travel that they have now but she says many peoples mindsets are slower to change some feel insecure and dont know how to handle freedom. Does that worry her not in the least. A thing that he mentions. I think people can see for themselves if theyve elected the wrong politician. The the title as time goes on they notice ok maybe that wasnt so great. And thats progress mind sometimes you have to try things out before you realize thats a bad apple i wont use one of those again so take me call from. Prague castle is the citys landmark and houses the office of the czech president. Current president milosevic mons pro china and pro russia stance has divided the country. In the ukraine conflict he sided with russia and in two thousand and fifteen he called the wave of refugees flooding into europe and organized invasion. Yochim top i was shocked when zimmerman was elected president he always fought for a truly free country both before ninety nine and after as a writer journalist and since twenty eleven as Program Director of the pov of the library. Of history is like a huge pendulum with its one as high to one side as possible now its right at the bottom but i hope well reach the other side again this is. Whats czechoslovakias last president and the first president of the Czech Republic after slovakia seceded in one thousand nine hundred three a former dissident hovel was also a celebrated writer and a moral authority. He personally brought you to the pov a library shortly before his death his twenty eleven. Kopel stayed on and continues to cure rate the librarys Cultural Program is hopeful would have wanted. And hes kept on writing unusual novels his latest a sensitive person starts out as a road movie about a family of artists but soon turns into a commentary on modern European Society pressure not to you know committee im too if im going to this strange family is led by a father who is around my age. To do because he still has this desire to discover western europe. And he doesnt want his europe or this mental image that he has no longer exists for his million or would a simple pool was instead he encounters an unfriendly europe full of social tension plagued by crises and with accords of migrants Walking Around you that simple to do not know where i am no one at the school. So he returns to his homeland with all of its awful scrap yards and bars it might not be the prettiest but at least its good fun the novel on top of the state award for literature in twenty seventeen had much public criticism. Prague is booming and now is among the ten richest regions in europe the days when people here fought for socialism with a human face a long time. Its easier to imagine franz kafka walking through the citys alleyways at the start of the Twentieth Century back then prague was a magnet for artists and authors writing in check and german as the city was still a part of the hapsburg empire. A seamless and others yes everythings also nice looking so picturesque bound but underneath the surface there are a few graves a few bodies lying buried on top of one another. And we have to live with these corpses these ghosts of the past in the hilly. You never saw the british studied. History and says to do that you need to know german otherwise hed never have been able to conduct the research for his novel into bags of that stuff or vinterberg last journey its a comical tribute to train travel Central Europe and life in general and rudisha wrote it in german. The month. When you look at the map of the railway routes in austria hungary in one nine hundred thirteen and compare it with a map of the routes in Central Europe today you can see how many are left hotels for Heart Disease im told thats all of these routes this station where we are now they all existed back then as god is in this caption damo solace. Together with his melancholy geriatric nurse yon cross ninety nine year old once a winter very embarks on a journey into the past taking his cue from a detailed guidebook dating from one thousand nine hundred eighteen hes drawn ever deeper into the countrys history and his own. Doubts stuart and susan little monson all of us assumes that i owned a game of chicken slovak and stopped on stuarts also some bloke months and when i says i see only a scholar on stuarts look runs an old look i can see it says the commonest in common. Known someone of athens expedition the soviets caught outside the form which for leader stands one towards the slice of. Winter bird meanders through the course of history bringing the past to life in spite of these often sad events its a sheer delight to be along for the ride. In bernard a three hour train trip from prague people have been also reconciling the past helped along by cut sheena to school of us book the expulsion of. The boss and its as if guy you dont need to speak up or grab up an overstuffed. Get them just come in and lets go we call it its going. Live on ohio. Could be a bully. Hope its not nice and who develops in ash at the wall was an equally good. In supposing its just a just out just to support bit i see the isa fluxion not just the globe and you put out an everyday. Burner was the second largest city in the Czech Republic in one thousand ten it had one hundred twenty thousand residents eighty thousand spoke german as their Mother Tongue the rest were czechs they lived peacefully with one another until the nazis marched and. Around eleven thousand jews from burnell fall victim to the nazis and countless opponents of hitlers regime were tortured and executed. When i moved to my first flat then i every morning or every day passed around the sign which is on the old assad marisha glass and to go in the street and because i didnt know i think about the. German presence in my city i started to be interested in the why is this still in the story and what happened the other germans are better and more. Began researching and soon discovered that this was a taboo subject in one nine hundred forty five almost three Million People most of the german population were driven out of the then czechoslovakia can burn out their expulsion was particularly violent during a death march as many as five thousand people lost their lives women children be killed and the elderly cutter she spoke with a few of the survivors thanks to them i saw the history of czech history from absolutely different perspective and thats why i also found out that the during our education and i mean education of all children. There was some blind piece which wasnt discussed with the board and. I had story right the bow to. The expulsion of is a moving novel thats chock full of facts its received a lot of attention in the czech media burnell has been finding ways to remember the victims of the death march since one thousand nine hundred five and twenty fifteen the city issued a public apology. But that she was novel as an uncomfortable read but like so many new books from the Czech Republic its well worth the effort. And thats all for march twenty one this time so until we meet again why not curl up with a good book and until then ill feeders in from leipsic. It. Was. A good chance. Its the silence of two tennis courts. Ten billion microorganisms in chester is an extraordinary all the way that huge impact on our well being. As dr caster neck attached fine tops did you ever hear about a gut feeling that small intimate. Good should next d. W. The next revolution kicks off at the cash register. Goes to come see vs digital recordings and launching technologies to get reform of money from the middlemen are banks and the banking monogamy doesnt exist or is that the future of business transactions and the end of banking as we know it the clock change resolution. And thirty minutes on to. Kill that the work thats hard and in the end is a me youre not allowed to stay here any more we will send you back. Are you familiar with this. With the smugglers were alliance and. Whats your story. On what numbers of women especially of victims of violence. Take part and send us your story we are trying in all ways to understand this new culture. Another visitor another yes you want to become a citizen. In for migrants your platform for reliable information. Welcome to any good shape coming up. Cracking the secret of nuts why are they so good for us. Tackling warts how to get rid of them quickly and effectively. End up pain in the gut help for Irritable Bowel Syndrome and crohns disease. 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