By: Roseliese Hess
Today, understanding the international Frankfurt Book Fair is difference than years ago. Nowadays, the book fair is more like fun fair.
The presence of sixteen German cooks who built kitchen in the middle of the other exhibitors/publishers stands. I had a sly smile and went away to look for real Book Fair, hungry of literature fair.
In the recent time, literature in Germany is limited to crime stories – short or long, cooking, how to lose weight, how to be your own psychologist/therapist, how to be your own boss, how to gain friends and how to be a … whatever!
During my visiting of the Frankfurt Book Fair 2016. I was witnessed that most German visitors, at the first place, were interested in crime stories, so far that sometimes I could see some long lines to buy those kind of books. Obviously, I couldn’t find many publishers that were interested for international extra ordinary authors who are known as the high quality writers. But, I was lucky to find DuMont Publishing House that exhibited many translated books of Haruki Murakami.
DuMont Buchverlag GmbH & Co. KG
In a short interview with them; “ Why Murakami?” They told me; “ Based of our opinion, Murakami is an excellent writer and we are happy to publish his books”.
Here you can read the extract of Vintage Murakami. 
Walked around and spent Some hours around the international stands. My curiosity brought me to those exhibitors to find out . But there were not many German visitors were there and I could believe that they were still in those long rows. I wasn’t wondering why such a “crimes” culture was/ around. The German TV stations are broadcasting crime films and series everyday and in between the commercials of medications, hospitals, illnesses, insurances…
I forgot to say, in Germany, there are some ways – politically – to wash the brain of people. One of those way is, let them talk about money, paying taxes, German taxpayer paying much money to Greece, refugees, Portugal, Poland, Great Britain….
and of course the churches!
And here you see this stand…
Then between those shallow and superficial series are the political programs to wash the beautiful spirits of the viewers brains. Of course nobody cares why there are not many literatures encouragement programs to stimulate the brain of viewers to create and enjoy the most best stories in this world. I am not sure many people know the definition of “IMAGINATION” !
One Murakami wrote in Norwegian Wood; “If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.”
Why not this book?
My Testament published by Clare Verlag
