At the Beirut Book Fair, readers discover, compare, and choose, according to their desires and their budget. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-Le Jour)
"We have put all our financial resources, all our reserves, into this edition," says Antoine Saad, director of Saer al-Machreq. His words reveal what is at stake behind the stacks of books and signing sessions at the Beirut Arab and International Book Fair. For publishers, the fair is an investment with uncertain returns. For readers, it is an opportunity to discover new releases, meet authors and browse books. But they still need to be able to afford them.The figures offer an initial illustration of this tension. In 2025, the 66th Arab Book Fair attracted 75,000 visitors, with books averaging $10 each, compared with around $20 this year. In a country where everyday expenses weigh heavily on household incomes, the desire to read must compete with the amount people can afford to spend on books. Early observations point to a...
"We have put all our financial resources, all our reserves, into this edition," says Antoine Saad, director of Saer al-Machreq. His words reveal what is at stake behind the stacks of books and signing sessions at the Beirut Arab and International Book Fair. For publishers, the fair is an investment with uncertain returns. For readers, it is an opportunity to discover new releases, meet authors and browse books. But they still need to be able to afford them.The figures offer an initial illustration of this tension. In 2025, the 66th Arab Book Fair attracted 75,000 visitors, with books averaging $10 each, compared with around $20 this year. In a country where everyday expenses weigh heavily on household incomes, the desire to read must compete with the amount people can afford to spend on books. Early observations point to a...
