“Hundreds of events took place during the three day Fair which was enjoyed by readers of every age,” says Brian Wafawarowa, executive director of the Publishers’ Association of South Africa (PASA) and executive chairperson of Cape Town Book Fair. “These included book launches, signings, interviews, workshops and forums. Visitors interacted with different publishers, authors and books, some of whom may not be considered mainstream, but are just as exciting and talented as their better-known peers.”

Visitors also had a lifetime opportunity to interact with world-renowned Professor Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, a novelist, essayist, playwright, journalist, editor, academic and social activist from Kenya. A recipient of many honours, including the 2001 Nonino International Prize for Literature and eight honorary doctorates, Wa Thiong'o is currently the Distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Irvine.

Those who preferred to catch up on their reading digitally also found a niche for themselves, with a dedicated Digital Zone for eBook fans, which included the likes of kalahari.com, where the Gobii e-reader and the latest in local e-content were showcased.

“The Cape Town Book Fair is a great platform to network with publishers and, most importantly, to interact with the book-loving public on the topic of digital books”, explains Liz Hillock, head of Marketing of kalahari.com. “We believe digital content is one of the key levers to improving literacy in Africa – imagine a world where schools can access textbooks at the touch of a button, or where learning materials are easily available on your mobile phone. It’s an exciting space to be in and we enjoyed sharing our ideas with industry peers and the public.”

According to South African NGO, The Children’s Resource Centre, young people need an environment that provides good health, safety, fun, enjoyment and the stimulus to learn. Literacy is a key element of this, which is why this year’s Cape Town Book Fair placed a special emphasis on encouraging reading amongst children by creating a dedicated area for youngsters – the Children’s Zone.

Book launches and signing sessions in the Children’s Zone included the launch of Double Trouble, which was written by nine-year-old twins, Yuvadiya Ranjoth and Sonal Ranjith and book readings by Kereena Bhana, Swasti Badassey and Raqual Budhai, among others.

In addition, budding poets found themselves in world-class company at the Poetry Café, while forums hosted by academic publishers led to diverse and engaging discussions.

Substantial discounts on books were available to visitors throughout the Fair, as was the opportunity to enter a competition for prizes such as educational support materials, a signed copy of The Final Prize: My Life in the Anti-Apartheid Struggle by Norman Levy, and free web based digital publishing for three months for a magazine/book/catalogue or corporate communication.