KADA ĆETE NA SAJAM? Obožavamo Fest, ponosni smo na Bitef, ali najčešće pi- tanje svake godine u poslednjoj nedelji oktobra je – ka- da ideš na Sajam knjiga? Za 61. godinu, koliko traje, sve je ozbiljniji, lepši, veći. Neodoljiv za domaćine, za goste, za one koji vole da čitaju, kao i za one koji od knjige žive. Prošetati se centralnim ulicama Borislava Pekića i Ive An- drića, vencem Miloša Crnjanskog i Danila Kiša, znači vi- deti gotovo sve važnije ljude od pera u zemlji u kojoj se, uprkos svemu, mnogo piše i čita. Sajam knjiga mesto je susreta prijatelja, čitalaca i pisaca, izdavača i nekih budu- ćih književnika, ali i događaj za koji se objavljuje gotova celokupna književna produkcija tokom godine. Lep začin svake godine predstavljaju zemlje počasni gosti. Ove go- dine svoju prelepu književnost predstaviće nam Iran.
I don’t think London is like anywhere else in the world, be- cause I think everyone comes to London – and I don’t think that’s true of anywhere else, not even New York or Tokyo. The thing that is common among both Ser- bs and Brits is that they are hard to get to know, but once you be- come their friend, or once they like you, then you have a friend for life – a real friend. We live in hectic times, mad- ly racing for happiness, yet there have never been more sorrowful people. In your opinion, what is the biggest mistake of modern men? As I get older, I think the greatest solace for modern man is found in nature. Nothing gi- ves me such peace as walking my dog in miles of forest. When I was young, I used to think abo- ut girls all the time. But now I think about – trees! Why is there an increase in divorces? Why don’t people believe in family anymore? I think people think that they deserve more than one chance at getting love right. And I think
that’s true – you do get more than one chance. But the mistake peo- ple make is thinking that we get endless chances to get it right. And we don’t – we run out of time. You yourself had ups and downs in life. What motiva- ted you to move forward? It is a joy and a blessing to do something you love as a job. And writing – certainly writing novels – is also a kind of therapy; it helps you to make sense of the world. Everyone has ups and downs in their life. I think I have been luc- kier than most. But what makes me keep writing is that I think I would curl up and die if I didn’t! Are you preparing a new book? What topic currently inspires you? At the moment I am writing a series of crime novels about my London Detective, Max Wolfe. I am just finishing number four and then I will take some time to work out what happens in bo- oks five and six. So I am writing a six-book series in six years. Af- ter that, I don’t know what I will do – I think probably a psycholo- gical thriller.
WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO THE FAIR?
We adore Fest and we’re proud of Bitef, but the most common question every year in the last week of October is - when are you going to the Book Fair? For the 61 ye- ars that it has existed it has become ever more serious, beautiful, bigger. It is irresistible for locals, for guests, for those who like to read as well as for those who live from books. To walk the central streets of Borislav Pekić and Ivo Andrić, the wreaths of Miloš Crnjanski and Danilo Kiš, means to see almost all of the more important figures of literature in a country in which, despite everything, many both read and write. The Book Fair is a meeting place for friends, readers and writers, publishers and some futu- re literary figures, but it’s also a place that reveals almost the entire literary production during the year. It is provi- ded with a nice flavor each year by the special guest of honour country. This year will see Iran present its beauti- ful literature to us.
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