Agora, the Frankfurt Book Fair marketplace, ready for readers

This year the Agora will once again present an attractive programme at the geographical heart of the fair. The Open Stage and Lesezelt (Reading Tent), the Frankfurt Book Fair’s two largest event stages, will host prominent figures including Miroslav Nemec, Wolf Biermann, Bosse, DJ BoBo, Ross Anthony, Hella von Sinnen and Pater Anselm Grün. International authors such as Leon de Winter and Connie Palmen, the author duo behind the Iny Lorentz historical novels, and the fantasy-novel writer Markus H

05 Oct 2016 | By Dibyajyoti Sarma

The Agora features the Open Stage and the Reading Tent, the Frankfurt Book Fair’s two largest event stages

Traditionally, the Lesezelt has been the stage for award-winning literature, featuring the winners of the German Children’s Literature Prize, an author shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, the awarding of the German Cartoon Prize 2016 and the getAbstact International Book Awards. Fans of crime fiction and thrillers will get their money’s worth as well: Nele Neuhaus, Donna Leon and Michael Tsokos will talk about the appeal of evil. In addition, the bestselling writer Sebastian Fitzek, Christian von Ditfurth and the authors of the Kluftinger crime novels, Klüpfel & Kobr, will also make an appearance.

For the whole family, Paul Maar will read offbeat fairy tales from his new children’s book, and the children’s and young adult book author Isabel Abedi will give a book signing.

On 19 October, the ‘Body, Mind & Soul’ theme day will be dedicated for the first time to the topics health, sustainability and an optimal work-life balance: from autogenic training to yoga to motivational coaching. Offering a foretaste of Luther’s anniversary year, the Pop Oratorium Luther will perform with Dieter Falk. With its tea bar, YogiTea, the partner of this year’s theme day, will ensure visitors’ physical wellbeing.

Things will get political and artistic at the Agora with documenta 14. The art fair will participate as a guest to collect donations of formerly or currently banned books from around the world. The Argentine artist Marta Minujín will use the collected books to create “The Parthenon of Books”, an art object for next year’s documenta 14. Things will stay political with Islamic scholar and author Lamija Kaddor in the context of the “Brigitte Live” events. What’s more, Newsweek will interview Syrerin Nujeen Mustafa, and there will be an Amnesty International info-bus.

The Guest of Honour Flanders & the Netherlands beckons with virtual realities, books prescribed by the ‘book doctor’, a brainwashing by the ‘Kinky & Cosy Experience’ as well as the chance to measure your own brainwaves while reading in the Grunberg Lab. On the Sunday of the fair, a small-scale version of a classic football match will see German and Dutch authors face off in a goal-shooting contest.

Additional culinary highlights include tea and wine tastings with the Agora partners YogiTea and Vins de Bordeaux as well as events for gourmets: grilling with the author of Weber’s Barbeque Bible, Jamie Purviance, and gallette show cooking – a salute from next year’s Guest of Honour, France, in the form of savoury crepes.