The 39th annual Book Festival opened Friday in the courtyard of the Zappeion Mansion in central Athens.The Book Festival, which runs through September 19, is organised annually by the Association of Book Publishers in collaboration with the City of Athens' Cultural Organisation and Historical Archives under the aegis of the Culture and Tourism Ministry, also features a number of side events, including photo exhibitions readings for children.More than 160 publishers will present some 50,000 books in 13 stands in this year's festival.An exhibition of up-to-now unpublished photographs of Athens in 1888 will also be on display. The photographs are from the City of Athens' Historical Archives and are contained in a collectors' edition published by the city, called "Athinai", which will be formally presented on September 15 in the evening.Also, the National Book Center has scheduled a series of readings for children, titled "Fairytales of the World". On Saturday, Sunday and next Sunday (Sept. 19), at 7:00-8:00 p.m., children will have the opportunity to attend readings of traditional folk tales and literature from all parts of the world, which have been handed down from generation to generation in the oral tradition or written by Greek and foreign writers. (ana-mpa)
