Shanghai Book Fair stresses importance of reading (2)

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This year’s Shanghai Book Fair is now under way, an annual event aimed at making "reading" a popular topic. (Photo/Xinhua)

Zhou Junyi, reader, said, "I hardly have any time to sit down for a long time to read classics or books with serious topics. I only have time for light material."

One local pubisher says Zhou’s reading habits are typical. He says last year, his company did a good job selling books by Nobel Prize winner Mo Yan and classics by Ernest Hemingway. But it did better selling light literature.

Li Yuantao, vice president of Shanghai Century Publishing Gp., said,"Nowadays, if the presses choose to publish more light reading material, they surely get more market share. For us, we tried to stick to the spirit of culture and academics. But that policy lowered our sales a bit last year."

Li won’t say how much his company is affected when culture and academic reading material doesn’t sell well, but says it’s trying to work with writers to make serious reading more attractive. He says last year, his company published a book focusing on the rise of China as a global power. It sold up to 700,000 copies. And Li calls THAT a success.

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