Festival of Books kicks off in Tbilisi

Whether you’re a bookworm, an occasional reader or even in you haven’t picked up a book in years, the Festival of Books in Tbilisi has something for you.

From tomorrow Georgia’s capital city will host the 17^th Tbilisi International Book Festival – an annual event that presents thousands of books across all genres imaginable. Organisers said there would be foreign language books, precious high polygraphed albums, a special corner for children’s literature, a space for bestselling authors and more.

This year more than 50 publishing houses, book stories and international organisations will be presented at the May 28-31 festival, held in Pavilion 11 of Georgia’s exhibition space Expo Georgia.

Since the Tbilisi International Book Festival launched in 1997, the event has quickly become one of the country’s most favoured cultural and social events.

As well as being able to buy books at a discounted price, festival guests were also drawn to the event to meet leading authors from around the globe. Each year organisers invited internationally acclaimed authors to attend the festival and discuss their works with readers.

This year Serbian writer and literary critic Jasmina Mihailovich and her Italian literary agent Stefano Bisacchi will be the special guests of the festival.

Mihailovich was also wife of late Serbian novelist, poet and short story writer Milorad Pavich.

Meanwhile literary agent Bisacchi will also promote the works of four Georgian authors - Nugzar Shataidze, Tamaz Chiladze, Besik Kharanauli and Zviad Kvaratskhelia – to the international market. The guests were invited to the Tbilisi International Book Festival by Georgian publishing house Intellect.

In addition, alongside Georgian publishers Armenian, Azerbaijani, Turkish and Iranian publishers will also feature at the festival.

The annual Tbilisi International Book Festival is organised by the Georgian Book Publishers and Distributors Association and is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Monuments Protection, Tbilisi City Hall and the Foundation of Georgia’s President.

Entrance is free, and the festival will be open from 11am to 7pm from May 28-31.