Events, Awards, etc.: What's Going On...

Top sellers from the first week of the 52nd Beirut Book Fair, as reported in Lebanon's Daily Star, according to preliminary statistics from the Arab Cultural Club:

Islam and religion: "Umdat al-Raghib," Al-Shaykh Abdullah al-Hirari

Politics: "From Hasan Nasrallah to Michel Aoun," Fayez Qazzi

Science: "Encyclopedia of Family Health," Dar al-Ilm al-Malayin

Art: "International Cooking Series," Dar al-Ilm al-Malayin

Autobiography: "Jass al-Nabad (Taking the Pulse)," Riad al-Rayyes Publishing

The fair is back in business after a two-year hiatus, due to political and security tensions in Lebanon. With an emphasis on younger readers, and reading in education,

Beirut is attempting to reclaim its status as the "international book capital."

210 exhibitors are taking part, with 192 private and 18 government exhibitors are on hand from Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Palestine and Oman and Lebanon. There is a week-long series of more than 40 seminars and lectures by publishers and prominent figures from the Arab publishing and literature scene.

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Words Without Borders posts two exciting ventures: 2009 Fellowships in Applied Translation with Dalkey Archive Press (application deadline 1 March, 2009); and Amazon UK have launched a Literature in Translation store.