Thai publisher Thanapol Eawsakul, editor-in-chief of the political academic publisher Same Sky Books, was arrested for violating "national security." Though he was released, it is the latest episode in worrisome harassment of the publisher by Thai authorities.
The European Parliament passed the Digital Services Act, which aims to battle digital piracy and make online platforms more accountable for disinformation. The Federation of European Publishers said the legislation doesn't go far enough.
The Madrid Book Fair ran from May 27 to June 12 and attracted more than three million visitors, up 2% over the last, pre-pandemic year of the fair in 2019.
After falling 2.8% in 2020, book sales in Taiwan increased 5% last year, to NT$20.04 billion (about $690 million). Sales growth was aided by a nearly 65% jump in book output in 2021 over 2020, with 57,710 new titles published in 2021.
The six-day Taipei International Book Exhibition, which wrapped up on June 7, was held in-person after two years of virtual fairs. About 250,000 people attended the event, down from 580,000 visitors the last time TIBE was held, in 2019.
With 50 Spanish-language titles and counting, the publisher says sales for its list were up 30% in 2021.
The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair ran from May 23-29 in the United Arab Emirates. The event offered more than 650 events and attracted 1,130 publishers from more than 80 countries.
Several hundred international book publishing professionals and authors gathered in mid-May for the newest edition of the biennial Jerusalem International Book Forum.
The Readmagine publishing conference in Madrid discussed several dynamic issues facing the industry, from the challenge of increasing inclusivity to reducing the book business's environmental impact and more.
An online survey of the Ukrainian book market, conducted through early April, found that nearly 10% of publishers in the country have been forced to stop operations.
PW NEWS