Fair introduces Dutch authors to Turkish readers

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

The 31st International Istanbul Book Fair, which kicks off on Nov. 17, marks the 400th anniversary of Turkish and Dutch diplomatic ties by hosting the Netherlands as the country of honor, bringing Dutch authors together with their Turkish readers.

The writers who will appear at the TÜYAP Fair and Convention Center, the fairgrounds in Istanbul’s Beylükdüzü, during the first four days of the largest book event in Turkey are Henk Boom, Erik Jan Zürcher, Kader Abdolah and Joke van Leeuwen, along with Marit Törnqvist, whose works have not been published in Turkey yet.

Zürcher, the head of the Turkish Studies program at Leiden University, is well known for his research on the history of both modern Turkey and the Ottoman era.

Journalist Boom’s “De Grote Turk” (The Great Turk) on Süleyman the Magnificent, a prominent Ottoman emperor, was published in Turkey in 2010.

Abdolah, a Persian-Dutch writer, poet and columnist, first appeared in the Turkish language with his “Spijkerschrift” (My Father’s Notebook) in 2006.

Artist Törnqvist will hold illustration workshops with the children during the event.
Dutch culture and literature will be presented and discussed in a group of interviews, panel discussions, illustration workshops and professional meetings at the International Hall.
Furthermore, the Dutch consulate in Istanbul will organize an exhibition on “The Best of Dutch Book Design.”

The children’s book illustrations exhibition by the Dutch Literature Foundation, “An Elephant Came By,” corresponds with the main theme of this year’s fair, “My Childhood Is My Homeland – Children’s and Youth Literature.”

Works by 24 Dutch illustrators, including famous artist Dick Bruna and Max Velthuijs, whose Kikker books were published in 30 countries, will be exhibited there.

The 15 Dutch publishing houses represented at the fair are expected to contribute to cultural relations between the two countries.

The Istanbul Book Fair, organized by TÜYAP Fair and Exhibition Organization in association with the Publishers Association of Turkey, will last until Nov. 25.

The fair, which features more than 600 domestic and foreign publishers and nongovernmental organizations, will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day.