Young and old alike swarm by the thousands into the Palais des congrès de Montréal for the 47e edition of the Montreal Book Fair. The undeniable success of the event faithfully reflects the 2024 literary season: flamboyant and rich in content, proof of an inexhaustible interest in Quebec culture over time.
Literature lovers form long lines in front of the book signing kiosks. People devour with their eyes the incredible quantity of books and content available to them: “I don’t even know where to look, there are too many,” exclaims Pénélope Riché, a young woman taking part in the event. .
Several interactive activities, linked to the Salon’s themes of “current trends, evolving practices and book innovations”, are part of the program. A literary quiz, round tables, conferences and even activities for children form a complete interactive schedule.
“We come to every show, but we were particularly looking forward to this year, like many others it seems,” says Tanya Lalonde accompanied by her son, pointing to the sea of readers that stretches as far as the eye can see.
The young mother is delighted with the quantity of authors presented at the Palais des congrès and appreciates the large selection of children’s reading. “Being able to pass on this passion for words to my little one, that’s the real power of this event for me,” she says.
The authors also seem to notice an increase in traffic for this 47eedition of the Book Fair. “I notice that there are a lot more people this year,” notes Guillaume Lavallée, author of the book Gaza before the 7th, which was a great success following its publication last September.
A golden opportunity for emerging talents
According to a survey conducted in 2018 by the Union of Writers of Quebec (UNEQ), 90% of respondents did not achieve an annual income of $25,000 from their literary activities.
The task is all the more difficult for those trying to break through, their income is significantly lower than that of an established writer in the field. The Book Fair is therefore a remarkable opportunity for those who wish to increase their visibility.
“I find myself all the time with lots of books of different genres, that’s what’s funyou discover lots of things flies »
Diane Renaud-Maillot
A very particular literary genre has only been presented for two years at the Montreal Book Fair: zines (nicknames for fanzines). They can cover any topic in any way and are inspired by the do-it-yourself culture. Artists go in all directions and can express themselves without the constraints of the editorial process.
More accessible, this medium democratizes publication and encourages experimental and innovative approaches. We find several zinesters like Alice Rivard, author of the work Under the screaming stars and Ariane Cloutier, who among other things wrote Montreal-Gaspésie et Apocalypse.
Zines are often perceived as a literary UFO, a “little” artist’s book or an amateur work. This perception is reductive, because the zine occupies a significant place in contemporary cultural life.
Stay tuned!
Several major authors have confirmed that they want to publish other works in the near future, notably Michel Jean, famous author of Innu origin known for his book Law.
During the signing period, he confided that his next story will be that of his aunt, offering the story of two sisters, one who grew up on the reserve and the other outside. He says he has not yet found the title and has not commented on the planned publication date.
For his part Alain Saulnier, former journalist at - and author of the essays Stand up to the web giants et Digital barbarians, reveals that his next book is called “Journalism of the Next Decade”. This work will follow on from the previous two.
Following these exciting announcements, the next Book Fair therefore has the potential to be just as successful as the previous one.
