Book World Prague 2024 gets underway

The 29th international book fair and literary festival Book World Prague, held annually by the Association of Czech Booksellers and Publishers, got underway on Thursday at the city’s Výstaviště grounds.

The event, the biggest of its kind in Czechia, brings together writers and publishers from around the world. Among the biggest guests this year is Irish novelist John Boyne and German writers Bernhard Schlink, Peter Stamm and Tanya Stewner.

The main motto of this year’s festival, which honours the centenary of Franz Kafka, is his quote “A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within”. Unlike in previous years, the guest of honour isn’t just one country, but German-language literature as a whole.