Frankfurt is much more than just banks and Joe "Peanuts" Ackermann, of course.

The Frankfurt Book Fair is on and somewhat underreported by the MSM, even though it is one of the world's biggest trade fair for books. This year, over 401,000 items were on display, down some from last year's figures. The number of exhibitors dropped from about 7,300 to just over 6,900. Ten years ago, that figure was well into the 8,000s. The American publishers were not in full force, and this year their booths were not nearly as big as in the days of yore.

 

But the Book Fair is not only for books. Newspapers set up shop there, Hall 4.0 is for non-book printing (paper and the like), there are stands and stands filled with tchotchkes like clip-on lights, pens, 3D postcards, bookmarks, there are  cartographers, and even the occasional masseur to loosen the gizzards and skeleton of an exhausted rep.

China was the guest of honor this year, a fact that did make for some constroversy, though any protest was reserved for the Franfurt streets and for  a few topical booths (see below).  Tibet is not the only inflammatory issue, but for the most part, it was business as usual, and when it comes down to business, as the French say so wittly, money has no odor.