The Frankfurt Buchmesse, or book fair, is the world’s largest publishing industry gathering, attracting thousands of exhibitors every October. On one level, it’s a business event focused on creating buzz for forthcoming bestsellers, trading rights and discussing industry developments. On another, it’s a public celebration of books and the values associated with them.
In its 75th year, however, Frankfurt’s normal business has been disrupted by a suggestion that a particular book should not be celebrated. That book is Minor Detail by Palestinian author Adania Shibli, which presents a fictionalised account of the real-life rape and murder of a Palestinian Bedouin girl by Israeli soldiers in 1949.
Shibli is the winner of the 2023 LiBeraturpreis, awarded by the German literary association Litprom to a female author from the global south (developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America). However, the prize ceremony, due to take place at the Buchmesse, has been cancelled.
