São Paulo – The Arab world, its culture and its literature do not go unnoticed by watchful visitors at the 23rd São Paulo International Book Biennial, which will remain open until next Sunday (31st) at convention centre Parque Anhembi. The stands feature classic books by Arab writers, pieces highlighting the famous Arab cuisine, books about Islam and children’s books.
Publisher Editora Boccato’s stand features the book Árabes no Brasil – História e Sabor (Arabs in Brazil – History and Flavour), written by Ricardo Maranhão and Estúdio Paladar, the cuisine-oriented publisher’s dedicated gastronomy studio. The book is the sole publication on Arab food at the Boccato stand, and according to the publisher’s events coordinator Rita dos Santos, it is a best seller both in the event and out of it.
One can also find famous Middle Eastern classics such as Livro da Alma (A Compendium on the Soul), by Ibn Sinaa, a scholar who specialized in Philosophy and Medicine, known in Brazil as Avicenna. The publication, translated into Brazilian Portuguese by Miguel Attiê Filho, was launched in 2010 and is available from the Editora Globo stand.
Editora Globo also offers books by Brazilians that reference the Arab world, such as A gata do rio Nilo (free translation: The cat from River Nile), from 2011, written by Lia Neiva. The story is told in six different versions, each at a different period in time and featuring a different literary style. At a given point in history, the mistreated cat Glorinha reminisces on her past life in Ancient Egypt. The goal is to showcase, in didactic style, languages ranging from Baroque to Romantic and Postmodern.
The Brazilian Army’s publisher Biblioteca do Exército has brought to the Biennial a series of titles about the Arab world. The publisher focuses on military history and also releases foreign works translated into Portuguese. Such is the case with Iraque, um conflito polêmico (English title: Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq), from 2010, by journalist Michael Gordon and lieutenant-general Bernard Trainor, both of whom are US natives. The army’s publisher stand also features Paz e Guerra no Oriente Médio (Peace and War in the Middle East), by the US-born David Fromkin, and Bagdá ao Alvorecer – A Guerra de um Comandante no Iraque (Baghdad at Dawn – a Brigade Commander’s War in Iraq), by Peter Mansoor, also from the US.
The Arab world’s exoticness is also on display at the Biennial, at the stand of Ciex Cautivo Importação e Exportação Ltda, which sells mini-books, i.e. miniscule-sized books. The Peruvian publisher offers books in several languages, including Portuguese. The authors available at the Biennial include three books by the Lebanese scholar Khalil Gibran – O Profeta (The Prophet), O Louco (The Madman) and A Procissão (The Procession) – condensed into one single book that takes little space in your pocket.
Islam amidst books
Entirely oriented towards Arab and Islamic culture, the publisher Arresala’s stand is attracting visitor attention at the Biennial. It sells publications about Islam and Arab culture, films made in Middle Eastern countries, decorative items such as pictures and carpets, veils for Muslim women and others. The publisher is affiliated with the Islamic Centre in Brazil and is taking part in the book fair for the sixth time.
According to Arresala secretary general Nasser Khazraji, the publisher’s goal is to publicize Islamic and Arab culture in the country. Arresala publishes books translated from Arabic and others written in Brazil, like those written by the Brazilian-based sheikh Taleb Hussein Al-Khazraji. There are two major collections available. One is titled Da Orientação do Islam (Of Islam’s Orientation), whose books explain basic concepts about the religion, the fasting associated with it and how it approaches children’s education. The other collection, Nossa Mensagem (Our Message), tackles more advanced issues pertaining to Islam, such as philosophy among Muslims, women’s rights, Islamic finance and others.
The company has released 110 titles, 45 of which are in print. The others are only available online. Nasser Khazraji explains that the bulk of demand comes from professors, researchers, university students and libraries. One of the options available at the Biennial is the book Islamismo (Islamism), also by sheikh Khazraji, released in partnership with the publisher Bella Letra. The company is releasing books about different religions, written by actual followers.
Saturday, at 3:00 pm, the Arresala stand will launch several books from the collection: one on Islam, two on Buddhism, written by Heródoto Barbeiro, and one on Spiritism, by the chairman of publisher Editora Abril, Alexandre Caldini. The launch will be attended by the writers and by specialists on the subject. On Friday, at 3:30 pm, the writer Paulo Farah will give a lecture about Islam in Brazil, and on Saturday, at 6:00 pm, a Muslim wedding will take place at the stand. The goal is to showcase the ceremony to the Brazilian public.
Service:
23rd São Paulo International Book Biennial
August 22nd to 31st, 2014
Parque Anhembi exhibition centre, in São Paulo
Mondays to Fridays from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm (on the 31st the event will be open until 9:00 pm)
For additional information: http://www.bienaldolivrosp.com.br/
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
