Book fever

VILNIUS - On Feb. 18-21, the 11th international Vilnius Book Fair takes place at the Lithuanian Exhibition Center Litexpo on Laisves Avenue 5. It is one of the main annual cultural events in Lithuania. It is a good opportunity to buy books more cheaply than in bookshops. English-language books as well as various dictionaries are presented at the fair as well. The fair attracts thousands of book lovers from Lithuania and neighboring countries. The Vilnius Book Fair gives Lithuanian and foreign authors a chance to have a discussion with their readers.

Some world-famous writers are invited to the fair. For example, in 2008, the top star of the fair was American John Irving, author of The World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules, The Hotel New Hampshire, and other world-famous novels.
This year, Simon Sebag Montefiore, British historian and writer, will arrive at the fair. Montefiore’s books are world-scale bestsellers, published in 33 languages. He has some Lithuanian roots - his mother was born into a Jewish family from the northern Lithuanian town of Akmene.

Montefiore wrote his history book, Catherine the Great & Potemkin, when Tsarina Catherine II was not a fashionable personage in Russia. Montefiore had easy access to archives in Russia when he was writing that book. When Vladimir Putin was planning his first inauguration ceremony to the post of president, the Kremlin’s guys took some details of czarist ceremonials from Montefiore’s book.

Under the rule of Putin, democracy fell out of fashion in Russia and Tsarina Catherine II became one of the most respected historical figures in Russia. The Lithuanian Grand Duchy was occupied by Russia in 1795, one year before the death of Catherine. That occupation lasted for more than 100 years. Russia was powerful and expanding under the rule of the tsarina. Catherine II as a symbol of the Russian Empire’s power is used by the Kremlin’s propaganda machine.

Montefiore was respected then in Russia and got easy access to Russian archives when he was writing his book Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar. However, Montefiore showed the real picture of Stalin, who was one of the most brutal sadists in the world’s history. Textbooks in Putin’s Russia then already described Stalin as an “efficient manager.” Montefiore was not considered a good fellow by the Kremlin anymore. He had problems with access to the archives in Russia when he started to write his book Young Stalin.

“I’m not popular among devoted Stalinists,” Montefiore told the Lithuanian daily Lietuvos Rytas.  Luckily, Montefiore did find a lot of material for his book in the archives of Georgia. Nobody made obstacles for Montefiore there. The Stalin-related archives in Georgia are in a mess, but it is possible to find necessary documents with the help of the right people. According to Montefiore, a big influence in the shaping of Stalin’s character was made by Stalin’s father, who was an aggressive alcoholic, and by the atmosphere of hypocrisy and psychological terror in a Georgian Orthodox seminary where young Stalin studied, preparing to become a priest. Later, Stalin used the Church hierarchy principles in creating his Bolshevik state, according to Montefiore.
It seems that Montefiore’s Young Stalin may make it to cinemas after some time. Miramax Films and Ruby Films have bought the rights and are currently developing a movie of Young Stalin.

Another star of the Vilnius Book Fair 2010 will be American philosopher and writer Alphonso Lingis. He also has Lithuanian roots. Lingis, who studied in Leuven, Belgium, was a translator of books by Lithuanian-born French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas. Lingis gets inspiration for his books in his travels to Madagascar, Laos, Peru and other countries. Lingis-made photos presenting the beauty of various cultures and races will be held at the Litexpo during the book fair.
American-Lithuanian Catholic priest Antanas Saulaitis, who spent many years in the jungles of Brazil among the local Indians, will also present his latest written works at the fair.

On Feb. 20, at 12:00, Leonidas Donskis, Lithuanian member of the European Parliament and The Baltic Times columnist, will present his newest book, 99 Baltijos Istorijos / 99 Baltic Stories, in Hall 5.1 of the Litexpo building. The book of short essays is bilingual - in the Lithuanian and English languages. The book presents the culture of the Baltic Sea coastline: Klaipeda, Helsinki, Stockholm, Tallinn, Riga and other cities. Prominent figures, such as philosopher Immanuel Kant of Konigsberg, as well as musicians, such as Kaliningrad’s jazz rock band Arsenal, are presented in the book. In 99 Baltic Stories, Donskis writes about the Baltic towns’ specifics as well. “Klaipeda is the natural citadel of liberalism if for no other reason than it is far from the financial and political power points that tend quickly to deform liberal ideas and practices,” Donskis wrote about his native port-city of Klaipeda.

The fair is open on Feb. 18 and Feb. 20 from 10:00 to 19:00, on Feb. 19 - from 10:00 to 21:00, and on Feb. 21 - from 10:00 to 17:00.