Qantara.de - Dialog mit der islamischen Welt

Eight thirty in the morning in Hargeisa and a crowd has formed outside the function hall of the Guled Hotel. Visitors are queuing at the security check and waiting to get in. It′s book fair time in the capital of Somaliland. By Michaela Maria MullerMore

In her novel "The Question of Red", Indonesian author Laksmi Pamuntjak effectively combines the multi-faceted nature of the island state′s sociopolitical system and its bloody recent history with the fate of her fictional protagonists. Bettina David read the bookMore

Poetry books as bestsellers, authors as self-promoters – the literary scene in Indonesia works differently. Nevertheless, many a book has secured itself a small place on the world literary map. By Martin Maria SchwarzMore

Sastra Islami is seen by its representatives as a corrective to the increasing ″Westernisation″ and ″secularisation″ of Indonesia. It presents itself as a religious counter-movement to the firmly secular literature published since the fall of Suharto in 1998. By Bettina DavidMore

Indonesia is the guest of honour at the 2015 Frankfurt Book Fair. Feby Indirani was an accomplished TV journalist when she decided to leave her job to focus on writing. Monika Griebeler spoke to her about the challenges of being a writer in Indonesia, the potential of Indonesian literature and her own journey as a writerMore

Linda Christanty is one of the most admired writers in Indonesia. In 1989, she became the youngest author to win the annual short story prize from "Kompas", Indonesia's largest daily newspaper. In 2013, she won the prestigious Southeast Asian Writers Award. Christina Schott met her in JakartaMore

70 million books, 47 participating countries, 850 publishers ... and all for an admission price of just under ten cents. After 46 years, the Cairo International Book Fair is not only the oldest in the Arab world; with one million visitors, it is also the second largest book fair on the planet. By Amira El Ahl in CairoMore