Programma

“With the exception of classic authors like Jorge Amado and Paulo Coelho, Brazilian authors have hardly been translated at all in Germany in the last few years. There is, of course, some catching up to do”, said Boos. The work of contemporary authors like Patrícia Melo, Bernardo Carvalho, Milton Hatoum and Paulo Lins exists in German as well as in English translation; others like Jo?o Paulo Cuenca and Santiago Nazarian are still undiscovered to this point.

“The Frankfurt Book Fair is not only an opportunity for the publishing industry, but also a chance for Brazil to create a dialogue with the rest of the world”, said Juca Ferreira. The internationally-renowned comic artist Maurício de Sousa, who was also present at the signing, said that participation in the Guest of Honour programme brings with it great responsibility, as the Book Fair offers the “biggest showcase in the literary field” worldwide. The representative of the Academia Brasileira das Letras (ABL), Mauricío de Mello, stressed, “Brazil is aware that progress and the economic success of the country must, of course, be accompanied by a commitment to culture.”

Brazil is Germany’s most important trading partner in South America. The Brazilian book market is characterised by a high degree of professionalism and it is an active market for translations. Around 45,000 new titles are published each year. The primary licensors for Brazil are from the English-speaking world. For Germany, Brazil is the largest licensee on the American content, with 178 (2007: 156) licenses - even ahead of the USA (143). While the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America remain under the influence of Spanish publishing groups, the Brazilian book market acts completely independently of the Portuguese book market.