Haiti’s annual “Livres en Folie” book fair is back once again

on Jun 17, 2022

After two years as a virtual event, Haiti's annual "Livres en Folie" book market will reopen in person on June 16 for its 28th edition. The 1,200 books on display at the Karibe Hotel in Juvenat include new titles such as: Spread of moto-taxi in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince (paradox and controversy) by Carline Duval Joseph, Soley Haiti by Latry Jean Dalio, Poetry from Grand Anse by Leonce Maurice, and From Childhood to Bandistry, a novel by Mathieu Justin.

Louis Philippe Dalembert, a writer and one of this year's honorees, was overjoyed to be able to attend the ceremony after being unable to do so for the previous three years, including owing to COVID-19.

"Finally, I made it here, and I am overjoyed to be with you, because this is Haiti," he stated ahead of the expo. "I may have lived in other nations... or educated in other nations, but Haiti is never far away."

Another honoree this year is writer Pierre Raymond Dumas. At the in-person event, he will be one of over 200 authors who will meet the public and autograph their books.

Readers can order online all week, which organisers hope will boost revenues as they prepare for a reduction in participation. Livres en folie is being held in the midst of a chronic lack of security, rising cases of kidnapping for ransom, and political unrest in the country.

According to Frantz Duval, editor of Le Nouvelliste and one of the event's organisers, the last in-person fair in Tabarre drew roughly 25,000 people. "We'll be quite thrilled if we get 1,000 people this year." Things have altered drastically."

Livres en folie was founded to promote reading accessibility. On this day, books are sold at lesser prices than in bookstores. This year, Livres en Folie is offering titles at a 40% discount over bookshop rates.

The event offers an occasion for author Gerard-Marie Tardieu to present his work, which is largely written in Kreyol. He'll be presenting five works this year, including Okipasyon Ameriken, Creole meaning "The American Occupation."