A younger audience, a bunch of new authors, the smooth running of the activities of the Book Fortnight… Books in madness 2016 proved to be a success in the eyes of Max Chauvet, director of the newspaper Le Nouvelliste. While regretting the hazards such as the poor condition of the road and the cramped nature of the site which does not provide adequate accommodation for all the people involved in Livres en folie.
“It is a satisfactory result”, maintains Mr. Chauvet, who evokes in this respect the participation of young people which is intensifying. “It’s fair game, says Max Chauvet. We have the impression that there is a kind of renewal of the public ”.
There is also the fact that many more new authors have joined the list. What does the director of Le Nouvelliste learn from this 22nd edition? The success, according to him, of the Fortnight of the book. “The activities, as numerous as they were, all took place and attracted a lot of people, and were of good quality,” welcomes Max Chauvet, stressing however that all was not rosy. He points to the poor condition of the road leading to the Park.
“We are not responsible for it but we are concerned … This dust, these holes are enough to discourage people,” said Mr. Chauvet. There is also the cramped nature of the site, which does not allow the editors, distributors and especially the authors to sign up to a good number of 157 this year. “Unfortunately, there is currently no alternative,” he said. This is further proof of the lack of infrastructure in our country ”.
Satisfied, Frantz Duval however underlines a drop in attendance
“The two days of the fair went well,” said Frantz Duval, editor-in-chief of Le Nouvelliste and one of the fair’s managers. No incident was recorded during the cultural event. However, Mr. Duval said he saw a decrease in public participation in this 22nd edition of Livres en folie compared to previous editions. He does not have a precise explanation for this finding. “Maybe it’s the bad state of the road to Tabarre, maybe it’s the bad weather conditions, maybe it’s the economic crisis… The report is that there is had fewer participants this year than usual, ”he said.
Speaking on Radio Magik 9 and Télé 20 Friday afternoon at the end of the fair, Frantz Duval was not able to assess the sale during the two days. “Crazy books is what is happening at the Parc Historique de la Canne à Sucre, it is what had already started since Monday on the site www.livresenfolie.com, it is what happened yesterday ( Thursday) in fifteen provincial towns through the branches of Unibank where people could buy books …, it is only after this assessment that we will know the best-selling book. Usually it takes between 15 and 22 days, ”he explained.
Frantz Duval said he retained from this 22nd edition the need to continue with all the activities carried out on the sidelines of the fair, particularly the Book Fortnight which has taken its cruising speed, he said. The exhibition around Marie Vieux-Chauvet, the documentary on her life, the guest of honor, a study day on the latter’s works and the edition of her works that had not been so widely available in Haiti, he listed.
According to Frantz Duval, next year, the organizers of the fair will continue to give more visibility to the guest of honor, whoever he is. “Our writers deserve the best, we are going to tackle it,” says the editor of Le Nouvelliste.
